What are the different types of Taxis & Minicabs in the UK?

One type is a London 'TAXI' (or 'Cab').

These are the Black Cabs that are well known around the world. They are also called 'Public Hire Vehicles' because you are allowed to Hail them in the street. They are the oldest type of Hire Vehicles in London being around for nearly 200 years, and are mainly situated in the Centre of London, particularly in the City. They are metered and can be expensive, and are sometimes hard to find at night when you need one to get you home after a drink at a club or such like. They have a great turning circle to get around the city and drivers have good 'knowledge' of central London - but do get lost outside of London sometimes. They are recognized easily by their Lighted 'TAXI' sign at the front and most can take upto 5 passengers. However they have little baggage space and often are seen with baggage spilling out of their back luggage compartments. Taxis do appeal to tourists in London and to businessmen who need to get from one building to another in the city, but many people calling a car service outside the city or in the suburbs would use a 'Minicab' (see below). Unfortunately, because they are old fashioned in design, London Taxis are incredible slow, maximum speeds of about 50mph, and therefore not much good for longer journeys. They also are really not environmentally friendly. This said, it is recommended that you take at least one ride in a London Taxi, as it is one of the 'Things to do' in London. Drivers are normally very cheerful and very knowledgeable about the city, something that is not so common with 'Minicab' drivers, except ones that specialize in the Tourist trade and Airport Transfers etc.

The Second type is Licensed 'Minicab' or 'Chauffeur'.

This is probably what you are used to in your country and what you would call a Taxi. Because of English bureaucratic and political hype, we in London have to call this second type of service 'Private Hire', 'Minicab' or anything except 'Taxi' or 'Cab'. Although drivers are Licensed, have Strict Medical and Criminal Checks, have their vehicles checked every 6 months for roadworthyness and are soon to have their own 'Knowledge', they are restricted by out of date laws which restrict them from trading on a level playing field against the London Taxis. For instance, a 'Private Hire Vehicle' can not have signage on the outside of the vehicle so you can recognize it, nor can it use a meter to assess the fare - but being unmetered can be great for passengers because it means journeys are often agreed before you travel. A Licensed 'Private Hire Vehicle' is one of the best ways to travel by car in London, simply put they are safe, cheaper and are available with simple phone calls to Licensed Operators. Most local services are open 24hours a day. Unfortunately you can not 'Hail' a minicab in the street, only by ordering one through a Licensed Operator / Minicab Company. Look in Thompson Local Directory or Yellow pages or ring 118 118 directory inquiries for a local number.

Why are there different types of Taxis & Minicabs in the UK?

Unlike the rest of the world the word 'Taxi' and 'Cab' is protected and not allowed to be used by any other service except the Black London Taxi Companies. Since 'Minicabs' have been licensed for the last five years, they are becoming more and more popular in London, and this has got the London Taxi Driver Union (LTDA) very worried. To try and balance one side of the trade against the other, the government in London inhibits the Licensed Minicab trade by various means, but this is very short sighted, a does nothing to push either side of the industry forward.

Already the most popular form of hired vehicle in the London Suburbs, 'Minicabs' (or PHV's) are becoming very popular in Central London, especially with corporate businesses who offer large amounts of account work for the movement of their staff. The expensive costs of the Operators License has already reduced the number of PHV Operators in Central London, and many small PHV's have sold out to larger organizations. This has increased competition between PHV & the Taxi industry, probably not what was intended when licensing was started.

Although using a licensed minicab operator is incredibly safe, there is still a concern at night because 'Minicabs are not allowed signage. Bogus and illegal drivers are still able to imitate genuine Licensed 'Minicabs'. Referred to as 'Illegal Minicabs' by the government, (another 'attack' at the Minicab trade), these criminal drivers float around the west end looking for trade. A genuine minicab will never approach a member of the public offering journeys, and unless you have pre-booked a car, you should never accept a lift with any driver. When you do order a 'Minicab' just check the driver knows your name and your destination address. The problem of illegal touts is is unlikely to change any time soon because this plays into the powerful LTDA union's hands and means they can use safety as a selling point for their trade, but the 'Minicab' trade is slowly fighting this signage law and will eventually get their signs.

The 'Taxi' driver unions think that signage maybe another nail in the coffin of the 'Taxi' trade as the sole provider of vehicle transport in London. It remains to be seen if 'Taxis' will be able to compete on a level playing field, as the Taxi Drivers Union (LTDA) is unlikely to loosen it's grip on it's government lobby 'franchise'. It is hoped that they can, because competition always drives a market forward, and there is enough business in London for both types of service.

It should be noted that there are still a few idiots creeping through the PHV Licensing, and a few licensed drivers with badged vehicles are still 'Touting'. Although these drivers are much safer than the illegal gypsycabs, because of the criminal checks involved with getting the PHV driver license are strict, getting into a PHV without a booking through a Licensed PHV Operator first invalidates the drivers insurance. SO the message here is ALWAYS BOOK THROUGH A LICENSED OPERATOR!