In your responses to questions 2020/2533 and 2021/0127 you state: “TfL is unable to report on the number of Taxi or Private Hire Drivers who have died in service as they do not have access to this information.” How can you explain this level of ignorance about the safety of a mode of service where TfL regulates drivers’ working conditions and terms of service? Please provide me with evidence that TfL has attempted to gather this data and any estimates TfL has made of Taxi and PHV Drivers who’ve died from Covid-19 since March 2020.

Every death of a taxi or private hire driver as a result of the pandemic is a tragedy, and I send my heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of those who have lost their lives.

At the start of the pandemic, Transport for London (TfL) established weekly meetings with all taxi and private hire driver representatives and large PHV operators and taxi app companies so it could better understand the issues the industry faced and offer support through the pandemic. One of the topics discussed in these meetings was the feasibility of gathering information about the tragic loss of life within the industry. TfL asked trade representatives and private hire operators to notify it if they learned of any drivers that had sadly lost their lives due to coronavirus. Unfortunately, it was agreed through these meetings that there was no mechanism in which this data could be reliably collated, despite all parties agreeing it would be respectful to do so.

TfL has learnt of the deaths of some licensees through media reporting and in some instances will be informed by the licensee’s next of kin. Where possible, TfL writes to the licensees next of kin to offer its condolences.

I’m conscious of both the personal and economic cost of the pandemic on the taxi and private hire industries, and I’ve asked TfL to continue to work closely with the trade on the support available.