Taxify want taxis on app as new operations manager takes over

It has emerged today that Taxify could be making another attempt to enter into the London market after it was revealed that Finn Geraghty is no longer Taxify's UK operations manager. Although Geraghty remains at Taxify, his role will now be filled by former Gett chief marketing officer, Rich Pleeth, who will be responsible for overseeing Taxify's European expansion,and will include another attempt to enter the London market. Pleeth told Business Insider that he was working with a legal and policy team to ensure the firm's latest licensing application is watertight. Taxify, who are financially backed by Chinese ridehailing company Didi Chuxing, are now looking to raise more funds in their quest to take on and potentially beat Uber at their own game. Taxify launched themselves into the London market in September 2017 but were thwarted after just 3 days by Transport for London after it emerged that they had failed to meet the criteria required to operate in London, which included an attempt to subvert legislation by purchasing City Drive Services, a local minicab firm in London, and then operate under City Drive's licence. Taxify plan to make another application within the next month after reviewing compliance and safety. One of the safety features that Taxify plan to implement is a "panic button" on the app. In a seemingly more ethical approach, Taxify plan to use existing private hire drivers rather than flooding London's already massively congested streets with new drivers. The Estonian start up company hopes to emulate Uber, when they initially entered into London by also offering a black cab service. This however could be seen as nothing more than a cynical ploy by Taxify so as to allow the company to continue to use the name "Taxify." In London. Any company that wishes to hold an operators license in London must not use the word "Taxi" in part or whole within its name unless they carry a minimum number of taxis on its platform, this is something that Rich Pleeth will be fully aware of after his stint as Gett's CMO. Unless Taxify are able to meet the set requirements that will allow them to use the name then it could scupper their attempts to get a license. There wil be no doubt that the licensed London taxi industry's representatives will be watching this situation very closely.