Driving in London - Cars / Taxis

Driving around the city

Driving in London is slow, expensive, and best avoided – but if it really is the only way that you can get from A to B then be wary of the rules.

You can buy a copy of the Highway Code at AA shops, RAC shops and Tourist Information Centres. Be aware that all passengers must wear seatbelts, and all motorcycle riders must wear helmets.

Foreign driving licences are typically valid for up to 12 months in Britain – but you must make sure that your insurance covers foreign travel. Driving without adequate insurance is a criminal act.

Congestion charge zone

London was the world’s first big city to introduce a congestion charge, with the aim of reducing traffic in the center.

The first zone covered everything east of Park Lane, south of Euston Road and west of Commercial Street, but it has since been extended into Kensington and Chelsea.

You can tell that you are entering a congestion charge zone by the street signs and painted circles in the road. If you pass a large white ‘C’ inside a red circle then be prepared to pay before 10PM. If you pay after 10 but before midnight then the cost goes up. If you wait until after midnight, then expect to pay a hefty fine.

The congestion charge applies between 7–6.30 Monday to Friday, and you can pay at newsagents, petrol stations and any shop showing the white C symbol. You can also try telephoning 0845 900 1234, or visit their website at cclondon.com.

Car hire companies

If you’re looking to hire a car, then you’ll need a current driving licence and at least one year’s experience.

Here is a list of places where you can find offices for car hire firms…

Barking · Battersea · Bayswater · Bermondsey · Bloomsbury · Bracknell · Bromley · Camden · Charing Cross · Charlton · Ealing · Earl’s Court · Edgware · Enfield · Euston · Finchley · Fulham · Gatwick Airport · Hammersmith · Hampstead · Harrow · Heathrow Airport · Holland Park · Kennington · Kensington · King’s Cross · Lewisham · Liverpool Street · London Bridge · London City Airport · Luton Airport · Marble Arch · Marylebone · Mayfair · Putney · Shepherd’s Bush · Stansted Airport · St. Pancras · Streatham · Swiss Cottage · Tottenham · Tower Bridge · Vauxhall · Victoria · Wandsworth · Waterloo · Wembley

Car parking restrictions

Make sure that you pay attention to any car parking restrictions in place, as the costs can be extortionate if your car gets clamped. You could be looking at as much as £200–300 to get it released.

If the worst happens and you find that your car has been towed away with no information on where it has been towed to, then try ringing the Tracing Section at 0207 747 4747.

Black taxi cabs

London’s black taxi cabs used to be a familiar site, as synonymous as a double-decker bus. But these days they come in all sorts of colours.

You can pick them up from taxi-ranks outside train stations, airports, and popular tourist spots. You can also wave them down in the street. Always use official taxis as these are equipped with meters from which you can read the current fare.

A taxi is available whenever its yellow ‘For Hire’ sign is lit upon the roof. Just stick your arm out and flag it down. If the light is out, then it probably already has a passenger.

Bear in mind that there is usually a minimum charge and drivers are typically given a 10% tip. (Or you can round it up to the nearest pound.)

If you need a taxi home but don’t have the number of a cab firm in the area, then try using Transport for London’s Cabwise. All you have to do is text CAB to 60835* and you’ll immediately get one taxi and two local licensed minicab numbers sent to your mobile.

Taxi cab firms

If you’d like to arrange a pick-up in advance, then try one of these recognised firms:

Computer Cabs: Telephone 0207 908 0207
Dial-A-Cab: Telephone 0207 253 5000
Radio Taxis: Telephone 0207 272 0272

The Zingo Taxi service actually puts you in touch with the nearest driver, using GPS to fix your phone’s location. Telephone 0870 070 0700, or visit zingotaxi.com.

Minicab companies

If you have a choice between a black taxi cab and a minicab (a normal car), then choose a black cab. Minicab drivers are generally less sure of the way and have no meter in the car. It is therefore imperative that you negotiate a price with the driver before setting out.

Minicab drivers are the ones that go touting around for business. It is technically illegal to hail one in the street, so they ask people if they need a ride outside the train station. Give them a miss and find a taxi rank instead.

Dial-a-Ride, for mobility impaired

If you can’t get out and about by yourself, then you can always dial-a-ride from door to door.

Trips must be pre-booked, and you need to be a member. Visit tfl.gov.uk for details, or telephone 0207 222 1234.