Mayor Backs Lib Dem Call for Compensation for Taxi Drivers Amid Licensing Crisis

The Mayor of London has backed calls from Liberal Democrat London Assembly Member Gareth Roberts to compensate taxi and minicab drivers who have suffered severe hardship as a result of ongoing delays in the Transport for London licensing system.

The endorsement comes amid growing outrage following the death of 65-year-old Rob Dale, a minicab driver from Twickenham, who died from a heart attack in November 2024 after waiting three months for his private hire licence to be renewed.

Assembly Member Gareth Roberts has led calls for urgent redress, citing numerous cases where drivers have faced devastating consequences due to TfL’s failure to process renewals in a timely manner.

“For months, I’ve been hearing from drivers across London who are at breaking point,” said Roberts. “They’ve been locked out of work, forced into rent arrears, and in some cases made homeless - all through no fault of their own. Our inboxes are filled with distressing stories. This is a moral crisis as much as a bureaucratic one.”

“The Mayor's commitment to compensation is a welcome step but it must go beyond words. These drivers deserve more than apologies; they deserve real action, financial support, and an overhaul of a system that has failed them.”

Mr Roberts highlighted multiple cases in his recent questioning of the Mayor at City Hall — including that of a Richmond driver left homeless, another waiting over 15 months for a licence, and one now in arrears after applying five months in advance. He also pressed the Mayor on the urgent need for reform and asked when full service would resume, including resolution for drivers granted only short-term, three-month emergency licences.