London taxis
London is famous and exceptional in so many ways. One thing that visitors always remember are London's famous 'Black Cabs'. Today, many cabs are not actually black; they come in a wide range of colours. Some are even covered with advertising. The unique thing about London's taxis is that they are licensed by the Public Carriage Office, part of Transport for London, headed by the Mayor of London.
"Taxi" is the 2nd most common word in the world. New York, Paris, Rome and other cities all have taxis, but the London Black Cab is unique in that it is a purpose built vehicle, made to transport people in comfort, safety and style around London's busy and sometimes narrow streets.
Taxis are the only vehicles allowed by law to ply for hire on the streets of our City. Since 2009, all of London's Black Cabs have, by law, been wheelchair accessible. Cabs can pick up anyone, anytime, anywhere.
The Public Carriage Office regulates the trade trade, setting the high standards that London Cabs are renowned for the world over. Maintenance of the vehicle and driver standards are all determined by the PCO. As the licensing authority the PCO also insist that all licensed cabs display a unique numbered licence plate. This is displayed both on the outside (on the rear) and inside the cab. They also require the tariff set by them is also clearly displayed inside the cab and that all fare meters are illuminated.