TfL say no operators licence, but Taxify say they are launching

Ride-hailing service Taxify is set to launch in London, despite the regulators in the capital saying that they have not been issued an operators licence. Taxify is an international urban ride-sharing platform founded and headquartered in Tallinn, Estonia. Taxify is operating in 19 countries in Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Central America. However, in London on closer inspection, Taxify are using an existing operators licence under the name of "City Drive Services LTD" which has been trading since 11th February 2014. It is thought that Taxify have simply bought an existing operators licence to trade from. 

Previous significant shareholders in City Drive Services include Lorenzo Caffarri who according to Taxi Leaks has courted controversy before in the taxi trade when he launched UbiCabs back in 2012. He ceased his significant control 13th May 2017. There is now one remaining director, David Andrew Lane, associated with the company. Mr Lane has no previous experience as a director of a company and was appointed on 12th May 2017, a day before Lorenzo Caffarri ceased his significant control.  The existing operators licence is due to expire in October 2019. TaxiPoint has contacted the regulators Transport for London for clarification. A spokesperson said "Taxify have not been issued an operator's licence."

Markus Villig, founder and CEO of Taxify, said via Twitter today: