After several years of unrelenting app-activity in London (Uber, Hailo, GetTaxi and several others) plus the meteoric growth of the private hire sector, there is a possible merger or partnership on the cards between the Mountview House Group (Radio Taxis) and Dial A Cab, reported Taxi Times. This would create a new radio-circuit of about 4.000 taxis as both fleets are of a similar size. Slightly smaller compared to the largest private hire competitor, Addison Lee (4.800 vehicles and about to be sold to new investors). London’s third radio-circuit, ComCab, owned by the Singaporese-Australian company ComfortDelgro, is to remain independent.

Both chairmen, Geoffrey Riesel and Brian Rice, have written to members asking for opinions and in a yes/no poll for Dial A Cab-drivers for the OK for a possible tie-up. One (slight) difficulty: Mountview is a limited company and Dial A Cab a cooperative. Riesel told Taxi Times that “as soon as Dial A Cab’s drivers have responded to the yes/no poll, we can start negotiations in earnest.” The likeliest possibility is that both companies and various different brands will operate from the same new control centre and will let the two Central London properties they own.

• Post-merger: one company, different names and the largest London radio circuit.