Taking an illegal cab home after a night out is dangerous. Any minicab that isn’t booked is illegal and unsafe. Illegal cabs are unregulated and there is no record of their journeys. Illegal cab drivers pose serious risks to the travelling public and can be a cover for some of the most serious crimes in London including sexual violence and robbery.
Only taxis (black cabs) can pick up customers on the street. If a minicab – even one carrying the blue Transport for London sticker in the front and back window – approaches you on the street, they are breaking the law and it is unsafe.
Transport for London’s text service, Cabwise, helps you get a licensed taxi or minicab to pick you up from wherever you are and take you home safely. Just TEXT ‘HOME’ to 60835* to get 1 taxi and 2 local licensed minicab numbers sent to your mobile.
Public transport is a safer alternative to taking an illegal cab. There are now more Night buses than ever with 113 routes all with CCTV**. The last Tubes leave central London around 00.30 Monday to Saturday nights***.
Transport for London fund over 2,500 officers dedicated to policing London’s transport network to further improve safety and security when travelling.
If you decide to walk home, take care. Stick to well-lit streets and avoid using alleyways or short cuts.
You can plan your night out and get the latest information on late night travel by visiting tfl.gov.uk/traveltools before you go out. Plan your journey in advance with Journey Planner, use Findaride to get the details of licensed minicabs in the area that you're going out in or get maps, timetables and free mobile travel alerts.
For more information visit tfl.gov.uk or call London Travel Information on 020 7222 1234.
*Text charged at 35p per enquiry plus standard text message rate. Roaming rates apply to overseas networks. Customers on 3 and overseas networks need to enter different information. See tfl.gov.uk/cabwise for further details.
**Information relevant for 2am on Saturday morning (correct at Jun 09).
***Excludes the Waterloo & City and Circle lines.
