Taxi driver in 2,000th emergency kit milestone

The charity’s founder Alex Chivers, left, presented taxi driver, Howard Taylor, with the kit outside London Bridge Tube station

London's iconic black cabs are now more than just a mode of transportation.

They are rolling out lifesaving equipment, thanks to the efforts of the charity RAPAID.

Led by founder and Special Forces veteran Alex Chivers, the initiative aims to equip half of London's famed Hackney carriages with emergency bandage kits.

On Monday, RAPAID celebrated its 2,000th installation of an emergency bandage kit in a London black cab.

Each RAPAID kit contains emergency bandages, surgical gloves and a rigid instruction card with easy-to-understand instructions

Founder Mr Chivers thanked Howard Taylor, the 2,000th London black-cab driver to carry the RAPAID kit.

Mr Chivers said: "Milestones like these keep us focused on our ambition to make emergency bandages available in every public location."

The black-cab kits contain military-style emergency bandages, surgical gloves, and an instruction card.

Each equipped cab displays a window sticker, signalling the availability of vital emergency supplies.

Travis Frain, a Westminster Bridge attack survivor and RAPAID patron, highlighted the significance of the milestone, saying: "It's amazing to think that 2,000 taxis are now equipped with RAPAID bandages."

He added: "It’s like a silent safety net that can be drawn out during accidents or attacks to save lives."

Beyond London, RAPAID's kits have been successfully placed in taxis across Manchester, Swindon, Exeter and Oxford.

The initiative is supported by the Licensed Taxi Drivers' Association and endorsed by Transport for London.

Darryn Frost, known for confronting a terrorist with a narwhal tusk during the 2019 London Bridge attack, said: "Attacks can happen at any time, anywhere, so having these bandages widely available in taxis — a constant presence on our streets — is hugely reassuring."