Just read the latest Dial-a-cab ‘Call Sign‘ by their Editor Alan Fisher and found the reason why a few London cabbies I met recently were so worried about private hire. By now I understood quite well that there are plenty of little quarrels going on between these two trades. But this fact – sheer numbers – really makes the point:

Number of licensed black cabs versus private hire vehicles

Sure enough, taxicabs look like a small minority now, not even counting all the other contenders like rickshaws and illegal touts. What can the TfL do to make black cabs become relevant again? What can the trade do? Is it enough to go the extra mile? Should the TfL do away with the black cabs and lower the barrier of entry into the mobility market, and thereby lower the price of on-demand mobility?