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A major crackdown on rogue minicab drivers in London was launched today.

Mayor Sadiq Khan ordered an extra 250 compliance officers to be deployed over the next year to target drivers of private hire vehicles and other cabs operating illegally.

This will quadruple the current team of just over 80 officers, tasked with enforcing the capital’s rules for black taxis and other cabs.

The move comes after a surge in the number of private hire vehicles on London streets, by 40,000 in the the last year alone to more than 110,000, according to the Licensed Taxi Drivers Association (LTDA).

The new compliance officers will focus on hotspots of illegal private hire car activity including the West End and the City.

“I want Londoners to feel safe when they take a taxi or minicab and that is why I have approved a major increase to the size of our team that targets touts and illegal activities,” said Mr Khan.

Steve Burton, Transport for London’s director of enforcement and on-street operations, added: “Illegal minicab activity not only poses a serious risk to passenger safety but undermines licensed, law abiding taxi and private hire drivers.”

He warned rogue minicab drivers flouting the law that they will be caught and “dealt with robustly”.

The expansion of the policing of the cab trade was welcomed by the LTDA.

Its general secretary Steve McNamara said: “It is so refreshing to have a mayor who recognises the danger posed to the travelling public by illegal minicab activity and is prepared to act to ensure their safety.”

Funding to pay for the new officers will come through changes to private hire operator licensing so that larger firms pay a greater share of the costs of enforcement.

Uber also backed the extra officers.

Tom Elvidge, the company’s general manager for London, said; “It’s important that people only use a properly booked car from a licensed private hire operator.”

Transport for London, the Met and Westminster Council have been running Operation Neon since May to target rogue drivers at weekends.

So far, nearly 10,000 private hire drivers have been advised and moved on to keep roads clear for taxis and booked private hire cabs, more than 5,000 were reported for not wearing their badge, and nearly 500 for not having a badge and were stopped from working for the rest of the evening.

A total of 65 drivers were reported for plying for hire offences, 1,265 for parking on taxi ranks and 2,916 parking tickets issued.

Mr Khan has also pledged to clean up the capital’s taxi fleet to make it the “greenest in the world”.

All taxis in London will from October 3 be required to accept card payments, including contactless.

Daniel Ishag, the founder of cab comparison and booking app Karhoo said: "Safety of passengers is paramount and we will only work with accredited and licensed fleets.

"With the ability to pre-book with Karhoo as well as book instantly, and the fact we are both in central London and surrounding areas, there is now no need to get into an unlicensed vehicle."