Choosing your cab wisely

Like any other city in the world, London has unlicensed cab drivers. This is why, as the passenger you need to ensure that you are getting into a proper, licensed cab with a driver who is authorised to be behind the wheel. The following are a few pointers to help you ascertain that you are getting into the right cab:

If you are walking about the streets of London and suddenly decide that your feet are weary and you wish to hail a cab, remember that you can only stop the Black London cab. These are the traditional big black taxis which are allowed to transport passengers in the city. You may come across minicabs; these look like private cars and could be painted a bright colour with the contact details highlighted boldly. It is illegal for you to stop one of these vehicles; instead you should book a minicab by calling the office. In this way, you will be sure of using a licensed vehicle.

It is good to plan ahead if you wish to take a cab. You could text 'CAB' to 60835 and almost immediately the phone numbers of one taxi and two local licensed minicab companies will be sent to your phone. Keep the information and use it to get a cab after a night out in the pub or if you are too tired to use any other form of transport. Texting will cost you 35p per enquiry in addition to your standard text fee.

Most cab drivers will agree to take you to your destination as long as it is twelve miles or an hour's drive within Greater London. If you are taking a cab from Heathrow airport, the driver should accept to take you to your destination, provided it is a journey of a maximum twenty miles. For destinations outside greater London, do agree on the fare with the cab driver in advance. Otherwise, you will need to pay the fare shown on the meter once you arrive at your destination.

To find out more about taking a taxi to or from Heathrow airport, visit Heathrow Taxis where your questions about taxis, minicabs and private cars will be answered.