The High Court is to be asked to rule on whether minicab operators can use smartphones and GPS technology to calculate the fares passengers must pay.
London’s black cab trade says the use of these technologies by the Google-backed Uber breaches rules forbidding the use of taximeters by minicabs operating in London.
Transport for London, which regulates both Taxis and minicabs, disagrees but says it will invite the court to make a binding ruling become some aspects of the law are “unclear”.
It says the advent of smartphones and apps means there’s a need for clarity about what is and isn’t permitted.
Separate to the court’s consideration of the matter, TfL is to consult on possible amendments to minicab regulations, including how journey details are recorded.
Leon Daniels, Managing Director of Surface Transport, said: “We have carried out the largest compliance operation in our history to ensure that the highest standards are being maintained. More needs to be done. We will consult with the trades to ensure the regulations are kept up-to-date.
“On the issue of taximeters, the law is unclear and we have taken a provisional view. We will be asking the High Court to provide a binding ruling. This is the sensible approach, and we hope that London’s taxi drivers and private hire drivers and operators will work with us to bring clarity on this issue”
