Taxi war looms at Heathrow over minicab plan

BAA has incurred the wrath of black cab drivers in London by striking a deal to allow a minicab company to pick up passengers at Heathrow.

The deal will allow Addison Lee and One Transport to operate a booking service directly from the airport, prompting cabbies to threaten a blockade of Heathrow over what they call an unacceptable encroachment of minicabs on to their lucrative turf.

Cab drivers, who gridlocked Central London in February to protest over a similar minicab issue, said that the move would be “disastrous” for their trade.

The airports operator confirmed that a six-month trial would take place at terminals 3 and 5 this year, with Addison Lee operating a booth from the car park at each of the terminals.

Although passengers must pre-book, Addison Lee said that customers would be able to order a cab after landing — heightening fears for black cab drivers, who believe that they will lose valuable trade to their cheaper rivals. Customers will also be encouraged to book via a link on BAA’s website.

Minicab drivers already drop off and pick up passengers at Heathrow, but on an ad hoc basis as operators have no official presence on site. They must pay to park but under the new plan will be offered free spaces.

Steve McNamara, a spokesman for the Licensed Taxi Drivers’ Association (LTDA), said that the deal was a “foot in the door” for minicabs, which would be able to “steal” trade from the black cab drivers. “They’ll have a meet-and-greet desk in the car park so people will be able to easily find them. It is totally unfair and totally unreasonable and we would question BAA’s motives for doing it. It is an unnecessary encroachment on our turf. Why can’t they just keep the system as it is?”

Liam Griffin, the managing director of Addison Lee, said that there was “no intention” of encroaching on the black cab trade. He said that private cars already accounted for 24 per cent of journeys to Heathrow and the new service was merely “better organisation of a trade that already exists . . . It’s not designed to compete with the cabs. Black cabs are an iconic part of London and they offer a fantastic service. We are just trying to give the public an alternative.”

Mr McNamara said that cab drivers were already talking about blockading the airport over the issue, although he emphasised that such a move would not be officially sanctioned by the LTDA. “There’s already talk of militant action, blocking the tunnel into the airport or the roundabout at the exit to the airport on the M4.”

In February, hundreds of black cab drivers caused gridlock in Central London, blockading Trafalgar Square, The Mall, Downing Street and the Strand to express their anger at a decision to let minicabs operate a rank in Leicester Square. They brought traffic to a standstill for more than an hour.

One black cab driver, who would be named only as Adrian, said that the Heathrow decision could result in similar action near the airport. “There will obviously be a lot of opposition to this and you may well see hundreds of black cabs descending on the airport if this looks like it is going through,” he warned. “This would be disastrous for our trade. If it starts at one airport, then there is no reason to think that they will not start doing at all the other airports and maybe the train stations as well.”

A BAA spokesman said: “Passengers requesting taxis will continue to use the traditional black cabs in the designated ranks. Private-car companies are required by Heathrow to only use licensed drivers and cars no more than three years old. We hope that the new service will provide passengers with a greater choice.”

The trial will begin this year, although no date has been set.