In Ilford, a car park has become an unexpected resting place for out-of-service black cabs, with the upper floors of Citi Park on Clements Road providing an eerie sight.
For many, the black cab is a symbol of London, making the sight of them lined up with deflated tyres, shattered windows, and hanging wing mirrors both unsettling and melancholic.
The news is bittersweet – demand for cabs took a nosedive in 2020 when we were all cooped up at home, dropping to around 20 per cent according to the Licensed Taxi Drivers’ Association (LTDA).
However, as things began to reopen, London’s policy priorities shifted, with the government deciding it was time to prioritise cleaner air for Londoners.
The Ultra Low Emissions Zone (ULEZ), initially conceived by Boris Johnson and implemented by Sadiq Khan in April 2019, played a significant role in this. Indeed, ULEZ has since expanded.
Until October 2021, it was confined to Central London, resulting in a 20 per cent drop in emissions, but now it extends to all areas within the North and South Circulars.
This means vehicles must either meet the standards or face a daily charge of £12.50 – and most vehicles manufactured before 2015 would fail to meet these standards.
A glance at the number plates on the cars in the Ilford car park reveals that most of the taxis there don’t meet the standards, which perhaps explains why they have been left in this automotive graveyard.
So, if you’re up for a bit of a spooky adventure, make your way to a particular car park in Ilford….
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