From 1 January 2012 licences will not be issued for the iconic Hackney carriages that are more than 15 years old, London's mayor Boris Johnson has announced. According to the mayor's office, road traffic is responsible for about 80% of airborne pollution in central London, with black cabs contributing 20% of it.
In ten years time, black cabs could disappear altogether and be replaced with electric vehicles such as the one Volkswagen has opportunely unveiled today with the classic London black livery (it was previously presented in Milan and Berlin liveries). The Volkswagen Taxi could reach a top speed of 119 kph (74 mph) and has an estimated range of 299 kilometers (186 miles). The concept is shorter than the current smallest Volkswagen, the Fox, but was designed with a spacious cabin with room for two adults and an allocated area for luggage.
Sources:
BBC and the
Green Car Website
From 1 January 2012 licences will not be issued for the iconic Hackney carriages that are more than 15 years old, London's mayor Boris Johnson has announced. According to the mayor's office, road traffic is responsible for about 80% of airborne pollution in central London, with black cabs contributing 20% of it. 
