AN ARMY of black cabbies could be called upon to ferry NHS staff to and from hospitals to help in the coronavirus battle.
Politicians said the country’s taxi drivers are waiting to be called up “like spitfires waiting to get involved in 1940.”
And Boris Johnson revealed that he has been in talks with cabbies to use their skills in the great national effort to defeat the disease.
Speaking in PMQs, Tory MP Sir Charles Walker said: “There is an army of black cab drivers in and around London itching to get involved like the Spitfires in 1940.
“Can we find a way, if we need to get doctors and nurses safely across London to use these black cab drivers, not on the metre, but perhaps on a contracted basis?”
The PM replied: “The black cab drivers are an unsung service and I believe they can rise to this challenge.”
Steve McNamara, general secretary of the Licenced Taxi Drivers Association has been pleading with ministers to use cabbies to help out.
He said: “We have got 20,000 purpose built vehicles ready to help, but we are just hanging around twiddling our thumbs.”
Many cabbies have already stepped up to offer their services for free.
NHS staff who go on Twitter and use the hashtag #NHSfreetaxi can get a free taxi to or from work.
They have to show their NHS staff ID badge to the driver on pick up.
