Ealing Partygoers Urged to Travel Safe at Night

Partygoers are being urged to use licensed cabs and night buses in a London-wide crackdown against illegal taxi-touts.

Transport for London and the Metropolitan Police Service have geared up their anti-tout campaigns during the festive season after 104 cab related attacks were reported last year.

They are urging Ealing residents to use one of the three night buses, the N207, N7 and N11 rather than risk getting home in illegal cabs.

Steve Burton, TfL's Director of Community, Safety and Policy (CSEP) said: "A simple rule to remember is that only licensed taxis (black cabs) can be hailed in the street or picked up at a rank without booking.

"Any minicab journey that hasn't been booked through a licensed operator is illegal, uninsured and unsafe.

"The reason booking is so important is that it guarantees your trip will be carried out by a licensed driver in a licensed vehicle.

"A record will be kept of your journey and, in the event of any problems, the driver can be traced.

"If you get into any minicab without booking, your driver is breaking the law and you'll have none of these assurances."

To get home to Ealing after a night out in Central London, there is a marshalled taxi rank close to Leicester Square or taxis can be ordered using TfL's cabwise service by texting 'home' to 60835 for 35p.

For further information, visit tfl.gov.uk