Most of you need no introduction to Britain and the UK in general. It’s certainly one of the top travel destinations in the world. In 2019, there were 40.86 million tourist arrivals registered in the United Kingdom. But why is it so popular? Well, where do we even start? Certainly it’s because of the sheer volume and depth of its history. For anyone who wants to go back in time and actually touch history, Britain is the place to start. Walk around almost any British (or Irish or Scottish) city or village and you will see what we mean. For background, the single Kingdom of Great Britain resulted from the 1707 Acts of Union between the kingdoms of England (which at the time incorporated Wales) and Scotland. But 1707 is a sneeze compared to how long “England” itself has been extant.
Now, one might think that a place being that old would be behind the times. In some instances, that’s true (and sometimes consciously so,) but the UK (we will refer to it as that going forward) is right at the front of technology, and in some places where you might not expect it: in this case, taxis.
The British Black Cab (and the cabbies who drive them) are as much an institution in the UK as is The Queen. Now, one might think that the cabbies would be staunchly against change. They’ve driven the Black Cabs as long as there have been automobiles, and so have their fathers and their father’s fathers. The rules and testing and licensing are quite complex and take a long time in order for a driver to be fully approved. But that doesn’t mean that the UK is dragging its feet when it comes to taxis. Be prepared to Discover the new electric fleets of Black Cabs, which are Chinese!
Watch the video below. You’ll be surprised at how the new taxis take London transport into the future.
Did you know that cabs are designed to fit neatly into the Savoy Hotel parking? Click here to book your suite. You’re in London. You deserve it.
Save money and see more with The London Pass from GetYourGuide. Click here to get it.