Caroline Pidgeon, the Liberal Democrat London Assembly transport spokesperson, commenting on plans by Transport for London to require all London’s taxis to accept card payments from October 2016, including contactless, said:
“This is immediate good news for passengers and in the long term it is also good news for London’s taxi drivers as new forms of payment can only help to boost trade.
“Providing greater choice of payment for passengers, including by contactless payment, is absolutely essential in ensuring London taxis remain a central part of the capital’s transport infrastructure.”
“However there is much more that needs to be done to ensure London’s taxis continue to provide a valuable service. Above all else TfL urgently needs to address the shortage of taxi ranks that still exist in too many London boroughs.”