You may feel that the world is against you when you are unable to hail a taxi, but statistics show that there are certain places in England and Wales that are much better and worse for catching a cab. In addition to this, it will also depend on the taxi firm that you use (this will also impact the quality of service and the cost). Understanding these figures should help anyone to improve the speed in which they get a taxi no matter where they are.
Wheelchair Accessibility
Another aspect to consider is whether or not you require a cab that requires wheelchair accessibility, as there are some places that are very good for this (all London black cabs are accessible), but there are others that do not have anywhere near enough. If you do require wheelchair accessibility, you are much better off with public hire cabs as 58% of these have access, whilst just 2% of private hire vehicle do.
The Figures
So, where are the best places to catch a cab in England and Wales? Statistics show that London leads the way with 107 people per taxi and private hire vehicle, with Manchester (138), Newcastle (154) and Liverpool (156) following. At the other end, Swansea has the most people per cab at 439, whilst York (349), Ipswich (355) and Southampton (310) are slightly better. Of course you do not know the quality of service available, which is why you should always look for reviews of taxi firms in the area beforehand.
For those that require wheelchair accessibility, there is an enormous difference in the good and bad places so it is important to be aware of this. Liverpool (304), London (353) and Coventry (390) lead the way and places including Newcastle, Bristol, Norwich and Cardiff follow. The worst places are Darlington (11694) and Oldham (11294), whilst Rotherham (3503) and Bournemouth (3395) are improved but still way behind. In these places, you could soon see an improvement as public hire and private hire vehicles are on the rise and companies like Cab Direct offer affordable taxis.
The Key to Success
These interesting and slightly alarming statistics show that the major cities are (generally) the best place to catch a cab and you should not have to wait too long. Regardless of where you are, the key to getting a cab quickly is preparation and planning. You should research the best firms in the area and whether or not they have wheelchair access (if required), and then book well in advance and particularly if you are in one of the areas with a large amount of people per vehicle.