The Mayor has stated the advanced driving test for private hire drivers will not progress at this time. How does this sit with his Vision Zero objective?

Along with Transport for London (TfL) and the Metropolitan Police Service, I remain fully committed to the Vision Zero objective of eradicating deaths and serious injuries from our roads and making London a safer, healthier and greener place.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had an unprecedented impact on the taxi and private hire industry in London, and licensees are facing significant personal and economic challenges.

In light of this, and after carefully considering the responses to the earlier Improving Safety in PHVs consultation (https://consultations.tfl.gov.uk/taxis/improving-phv-safety/), TfL is prioritising the implementation of the Department for Transport’s Statutory Standards for taxi and private hire vehicle licensing, all of which seek to make services safer for passengers.

Once these standards have been introduced and the industry is on the road to recovery following the pandemic, TfL will review any outstanding proposals in its consultation, including the Advanced Driving Test, to determine whether they are still required.