A senior London Assembly Member has called on the Department for Transport to devolve powers to TfL when it comes to passenger-carrying autonomous vehicles
Ministers must hand over full control of driverless taxi trials to Transport for London (TfL), a senior London Assembly Member has said.
Last year the Department for Transport (DfT) said it would fast-track the testing of “small scale ‘taxi and bus-like’ services without a safety driver” in 2026 before a wider potential rollout in 2027.
Several firms, including Uber and Wayve, however, are seeking approval to transport passengers in automated vehicles in London as soon as this year. Waymo is also currently testing its 100-strong fleet on the capital’s roads.
With Londoners likely to be the first riders in so-called ‘robotaxis’ – Uber has already asked users to express their interest – ministers have faced calls to devolve their oversight powers to TfL.
Caroline Russell, who chairs the London Assembly Transport Committee, said the government appears to have “stepped in on London’s devolved powers” with the issue of driverless taxis.
“The regulation of all of this is being controlled by the government when TfL should have a licensing role in this,” she told MyLondon’s new Inside City Hall podcast.
“We’re all a bit surprised because this is a new technology but the government has been controlling these trials and giving permission for the trials without TfL having any say.
“That is going to be a really gritty bit of the [committee] report, where we’re going to be really digging into the detail of how all of that works and making sure that TfL stands up for the devolved transport powers that London has and makes sure that TfL manages the whole transport network.
“They really should have a say in how the regulation works, what kind of data the companies have, and the rules around the way the vehicles work.
“There’s all sorts of issues around that London’s got to get on top of before anything gets unleashed on our streets.”
Who’s in control of robotaxi trials?
Currently, responsibility for authorising driverless vehicles on public roads sits with the DfT, but any paid passenger service would fall under TfL’s jurisdiction. Also, permits for Automated Passenger Services to operate in London cannot be issued without TfL’s consent, so the question is whether the DfT should make things simpler and hand over total control of driverless vehicles in London to TfL.
TfL Commissioner Andy Lord has also said there is a “risk” of the DfT “cutting across London’s devolution powers”.
“We’re focusing on devolution because, again, there is a risk here, depending how the government introduces this, that actually the Department for Transport would have greater regulation on autonomous vehicles than TfL currently has,” he told the London Assembly Transport Committee in March.
“We need to be really clear that this doesn’t cut across around London’s devolution powers, and particularly the Mayor and TfL’s. Currently, there is no trial involving TfL – the trials are around how autonomous vehicles drive on the roads.
“There’s no trial around any form of commercial use that I’m aware of, or that we’re involved with – we want to engage with the DfT to understand what that looks like.”
Applications open
In 2024, ministers passed the Automated Vehicles Act as an initial legal framework for operators. This ensured legal responsibility for any accidents in autonomous vehicles now lies with the approved operators rather than the driver. The Act will be fully implemented in the second half of next year.
In May 2026, the DfT opened up applications for operators to run self-driving taxis commercially across Britain, with Roads and Buses Minister Simon Lightwood saying such vehicles “represent a transformative opportunity”. Ministers are hoping that rolling the technology out will help boost the economy and create thousands of jobs. However there are concerns in London about job losses among taxi and private hire drivers.
Officials clarified that “local transport authorities, such as TfL, will also need to provide local consent to ensure services reflect local priorities”.
TfL sources say the body is currently in talks with a number of potential operators and will be setting out guidance for them shortly.
Potential loophole
Mr Lord confirmed TfL does have the powers to prevent firms from gaining a licence to conduct commercial taxi services on London’s roads, but companies could apply for other purposes, such as shopping and food delivery without approval from the transport body.
In a statement to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS), a TfL spokesperson said that they are “actively engaging with government to help shape any future services”.
“Safety is our top priority and any new passenger carrying service would need the appropriate regulatory approvals,” they added.
“Vehicles that have automated features would need to seek an Automated Passenger Services (APS) permit from the government, as set out in the Automated Vehicles Act 2024. Further legislation must set a high benchmark and consider the impact on all road users, and in London the roll out of automated vehicles must support achieving the aims of the Mayor’s Transport Strategy. This includes the management of congestion and alignment with Vision Zero, supporting the goal of eliminating all deaths and serious injuries from collisions on London’s streets by 2041.
“TfL is responsible for taxi and PHV [private hire vehicle] licensing in London. Any proposed modifications to a licensed vehicle, or one proposed to be licensed, would need to be submitted to Transport for London for approval. As with any licensing decision, TfL will prioritise safety and will need to be assured that any vehicle modifications present no additional risk to the travelling public.”
A DfT spokesperson said: “Permits for Automated Passenger Services to operate in London cannot be issued without TfL’s consent. This requirement was set out in the Automated Vehicles Act 2024, which was fully scrutinised by Parliament before becoming law. We continue to work closely with TfL ahead of any future pilots.”
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