Transport for London (TfL) is pushing ahead with controversial reforms to taxi licences, requiring drivers to pass a £200 written English test.
From 1 October, all new applicants and drivers renewing their licence who are not from a majority English speaking country are required to pass a £200 written English language test and a spoken one.
The tests for private care hire drivers are set at the B1 level of English on the Common European Framework (CEFR) roughly defined as entry level and the ability to express oneself in a limited way in familiar situations and to deal in a general way with non-routine information.
The move is being fiercely opposed by private hire firm Uber, who have said they would support a spoken test but not a written one.
An Uber spokesman said: ‘We think requiring people to complete a two-hour written exam and pay £200 for the privilege goes way beyond what's needed to be able to drive people safely from A to B and communicate with their customers.
‘It will affect thousands of licensed private hire drivers - if they do not pay for and pass a B1 written English exam then they will lose their licence and thus their livelihood.’
Transport for London said the changes were being introduced to raise standards in London's private hire industry, improving safety and convenience for customers.
TfL stated it was 'necessary for drivers to be able to communicate in English, particularly to discuss a fare or route, but also brief a passenger on a public safety issue like the use of a seat belt or what happens in an emergency'.
Further details will be published this summer.
