Transport for London (TfL) is working to put the brakes on illegal minicab and taxi activity in the capital.

Operation Neon, which ran during May and will continue in June, is a multi-agency operation which aims to clamp down and disrupt illegal activity.

After the first five days of the operation, 331 private hire drivers had been reported for failing to comply with regulations, eight for plying for hire offences and 30 for parking at taxi ranks.

Seventy-three tickets were issued for parking offences and 600 vehicles were moved on from late night venues.

Operation Neon includes TfL enforcement and compliance officials, Westminster Council parking attendants and police officers.

“We are determined to protect the livelihoods of all legitimate taxi and private hire drivers through robust enforcement action,” said Garrett Emmerson, TfL’s chief operating officer for surface transport.

“Following engagement with the main trade associations, we will continue to be relentless in enforcing the law through action such as Operation Neon to protect the legitimate trade, improve public safety and tackle illegality.”

Operation Neon is one element of TfL’s enforcement action with police officers which attacks bogus cabs.

Since 2003, the number of women approached by touts at the end of a night in London has reduced by 77 per cent and since April 2013, the TfL-funded Cab Enforcement Unit has reported 148 drivers for unlawfully plying for hire, resulting in a 97 per cent conviction rate of those that have gone to court.