London residents, commuters and tourists will find it easier to flag down one of the city’s iconic black cabs in the near future, as Transport for London announced that an additional 100 taxi ranks will be installed, bringing the total across London to 600 by the year 2020.

Many of the new ranks will be opened outside of Underground stations, mainline railway stations, hotels and popular night-time hotspots in a bid to crack down on the number of Londoners using unlicensed taxis and making it easier and safer for people to get around the city at night.

TfL is also aiming to improve services for those on the outskirts of the city, by creating more ‘island ranks’ that allow suburban taxi drivers to pick up passengers from the edge of their licensed area.

Transport for London commissioner, Sir Peter Hendy, said: “We are not complacent and recognise that both the taxi and private hire trades must move with the times and keep pace with technological advances.”

The expansion of London’s taxi rank network is estimated to cost around £600,000.

Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, said: “These plans deliver on my commitment to listen to the taxi trade and to help it to continue to offer passengers a first rate service that is the envy of the world. Boosting the number and the type of taxi ranks we have – particularly in the suburbs – is central to this aim and will help to ensure better business for cabbies and an even better service for customers.”