Transport for London has been urged not to renew mini cab firm Uber’s operator’s permit when it comes up for renewal next month.
The call was made by the Licensed Taxi Drivers Association (LTDA), which represents around half of London’s cabbies, and which has long opposed the app-based firm’s presence in the capital.
Cab drivers claim Uber encroaches on the ‘plying for hire’ model which is legally reserved for black cabs, and that the firm fails to pass the “fit and proper” standards required.
Uber has always insisted it operates within the law and has previously seen off a legal challenge against its charging model but lost a legal challenge over the status of its drivers who a court rules are employees, not self-employed operators. The firm is currently appealing the ruling.
A 17 page dossier of setting out “a legal case” for not renewing Uber’s license has been sent to TfL by the LTDA.
The organisation’s General Secretary, Steve McNamara, said: “Since Uber began operating in London, it has challenged any and every attempt by TfL to regulate it and protect passengers and the wider public.
“It also continues to blatantly flout the two-tier system of regulation by encouraging its drivers to ply for hire.
“Unless Uber starts acting like a fit and proper operator, playing by the rules and putting the safety of its passengers ahead of profit, it should not have its licence renewed.”
A TfL spokesperson said: “We do not comment on the status of individual licence applications.”
A spokesperson for Uber commented: “Millions of Londoners rely on Uber to get a convenient, safe and affordable ride at the push of a button and thousands of licensed private hire drivers make money through our app.
“More choice for consumers is a good thing and we believe that black cabs and apps like Uber can and should live side by side.”
