Annual Safer Travel at Night campaign relaunched with the reminder that if a minicab is not booked, it's illegal and unsafe
"We want everyone to enjoy themselves and all that London has to offer during the festive season, but safety is paramount."
Siwan Hayward
Director of Compliance and Policing at TfL
  • TfL and the police will be stepping up activity to crack down on unbooked minicabs over the next few weeks 
  • London's extensive public transport network will continue to provide an affordable, safe and sustainable option for those wanting to make the most of the festivities    

As the year draws to a close, Transport for London (TfL) is helping Londoners safely enjoy all that the capital has to offer. While London's public transport system provides a safe and affordable option for travel throughout the night, TfL is also reminding Londoners of how to safely use taxis and minicabs.  

TfL is boosting its Safer Travel at Night activity across London, reminding people of the dangers of unbooked minicabs, and providing advice on how to safely get a taxi or booked mini cab home - with the main message that if a minicab is not booked, it's illegal and unsafe. Booking a minicab means that there is a record of the journey, the driver and vehicle used, so in the event of any problems the driver can be traced.    

Enforcement activity is being stepped up by the police and TfL to crack down on unbooked minicabs and other illegal activity by targeting priority locations across the capital.     

Thousands of taxi and minicab journeys are taken every day, the vast majority without incident. If passengers experience any behaviour that makes them feel uncomfortable from a taxi or private hire driver, they can report it by dialling 999 if it is an emergency or calling 101. All reports are taken seriously and will be investigated.    

Siwan Hayward, Director of Compliance and Policing at TfL, said: "We want everyone to enjoy themselves and all that London has to offer during the festive season, but safety is paramount. Working alongside the police, our TfL enforcement officers will be out in numbers over the next few weeks to tackle illegal minicabs, and check that licensed drivers and vehicles meet our standards.   

"Our public transport network is operating through the night, but our message to anyone who wants to use a minicab is to make sure it's booked with a licensed operator and check before getting in.   

"London at Christmastime can be a wonderful place to be, but it will be busy, and we encourage everyone to travel safely and look out for each other."    

When using a black cab, people should remember:    

  • Black cabs are different to minicabs, they can be approached on the street or at taxi ranks 
  • Black cabs do not need to be pre-booked, but can be via app, phone or online   
  • All of London's black cabs are wheelchair accessible     

When using a minicab, people should remember:    

  • A minicab must be booked through a licensed minicab operator otherwise it is illegal and not safe  
  • Bookings can be made via a booking app, phone, email or at a minicab office    
  • When booking a minicab, confirmation should be received highlighting the driver and vehicle details and their photo  
  • Private hire operators will have a record of the journey, the driver and the vehicle used so that, in the event of any problems, the driver can be traced    

As well as reminding the public of how they can stay safe and targeting hotspots for unbooked minicabs, TfL officers will be speaking directly to minicab operators to remind them of their responsibilities towards passenger safety.    

As in past years, the majority of TfL services will be running over Christmas and New Year, but there will be no service on the majority of public transport on Christmas Day and no services on some parts of the network on Boxing Day. Night Tube and Night Overground services will not operate on Saturday 24 December. 

Apart from planned closures, services will run all night on New Year's Eve and the Mayor's annual fireworks display will take place for the first time since 2019. Given the impact of the pandemic on TfL's finances, customers will have to pay to travel on New Year's Eve, as was the case last year. 

The Mayor's Women's Night Safety Charter also sets out guidance for venues, operators, charities, councils and businesses to improve safety at night for women - including better training of staff, encouraging the reporting of harassment and ensuring public spaces are safe. More than 600 organisations, including TfL, are signed up to the Charter with more urged to get involved.     

The festive period is a very busy period for emergency services and public transport networks in the capital, with lots of people travelling home for the holidays or enjoying seasonal parties across the city. To help prevent accidents across the travel network and reduce pressure on the ambulance service during this busy time, staff from London Ambulance Service (LAS) have teamed up with TfL to urge partygoers to take extra care after drinking alcohol. 

LAS team members have recorded announcements for TfL, urging the public to take extra care when travelling after drinking alcohol and to plan their journeys so they arrive home safely. These will be played over public address systems at 27 central London rail and Underground stations including London Bridge, King's Cross, Tottenham Court Road and Oxford Circus. 

ENDS    

Notes to editors

  • More details on the best options for travel at night, and how to complain or report incidents is available here: tfl.gov.uk/corporate/safety-and-security/     
  • Customers can report issues or make comment on their journeys in London's taxi and private hire vehicles online at tfl.gov.uk/help-and-contact/contact-us-about-taxi-and-private-hire
  • The Night Tube operates on the Central, Jubilee, Northern, Piccadilly and Victoria lines on Friday and Saturday nights. All stations are staffed by London Underground employees while train services are running. Staff will be visible and available to help with queries. TfL is working hard with the police to ensure the Tube network remains a safe, low crime environment. Step-free accessibility at the Night Tube stations is the same as during the day service. There are taxi ranks at multiple Night Tube stations, a map of this can be found here    
  • The London Overground night service runs on weekends between Highbury & Islington and New Cross Gate. The London Overground Night Service runs on Friday and Saturday nights into the early hours of Saturday and Sunday mornings. The London Overground night service connects with the Night Tube network at Canada Water on the Jubilee line. Connections to the Victoria line can easily be made from Highbury & Islington. Step-free accessibility at London Overground stations is the same as during the day service.    
  • TfL has an extensive network of night buses to and from Night Tube stations. Night bus maps are available for all routes. All London Overground Night Service stations except Shadwell and Wapping have connecting night buses. Availability of night buses can be found here    
  • Victoria Coach Station, Santander Cycles, rental e-scooters, and taxi and private hire services will be available throughout the festive period including on Christmas Day. Walking and cycling routes will be largely uninterrupted aside from New Year's Eve when roads in certain areas of central London will be closed, some Santander Cycle docking stations will be out of service, and some bridges will be closed to pedestrians to facilitate the Mayor's fireworks display. The IFS London Cable Car is open throughout the festive period with the exception of Christmas Day.