Redbridge residents warned against using illegal and unlicensed taxis
Redbridge revellers are being warned to book taxis in advance after a survey showed that many people are using unlicensed cabs.
According to YouGov, 23 per cent of people in east London have used taxis they suspected were illegal.
Most people said it was because there were no other taxis available or that were in a group and felt safe.
But a fifth of respondents said they had drunk too much and “didn’t consider the consquences”.
Transport for London’s website says: ““Unlicensed ‘cabs’ are unregulated and uninsured to carry passengers, and in some cases the drivers are linked to more serious crimes, including rape and sexual assault, robbery and drugs.”
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Lorenzo Caffarri founded the taxi booking app ubiCabs, which uses multiple firms to find an available taxi as fast as possible.
He said: “The biggest reason why Londoners use illegal cabs is a perceived lack of availability of licensed services.
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“Yet we know from speaking with minicab firms that up to 45 per cent of licensed minicabs are empty at any one time.”
All taxi drivers must be registered with Transport for London and display their licence clearly.
Licensed drivers now go through an enhanced Criminal Records Bureau check and are tested on route finding, local knowledge, fitness and driving ability.
