Taxi operators may see a surge in demand as the coronavirus restrictions are eased.
According to a poll, 21 percent of adults – equivalent to 11 million people in the UK – said they plan to use cabs more often than before the pandemic.
The survey by Alfi, a manufacturer of screens for taxis, said a quarter of those who plan to use taxis more will use public transport less, with 10 percent saying they won’t use public transport at all.
Alfi said the primary reason for people wanting to switch from using public transport is a concern over the transmission of coronavirus. However, tests conducted by Imperial College London for Transport for London repeatedly failed to find traces of Covid-19 in the air and on surfaces touched by passengers on the tube and on buses.
‘Planning to socialise more’
Additionally, research by the Rail Safety and Standards Board found the risk of contracting Covid-19 while travelling by train is about 1 in 11,000 journeys. This is equivalent to less than 0.01 percent, based on an hour-long train journey in a carriage with no social distancing or face coverings.
The risk also more than halves if passengers wear a face covering. These have been mandatory when travelling by train since June 2020, unless the passenger is exempt.
The survey says more than a third of people (34 percent) will be relying on taxis because they plan to socialise more. Around 10 percent of those planning to take more taxis say it is easier to book as there are now more on the roads.
Additionally, five percent are planning to use cabs more because they sold their car during the pandemic.
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