Regulator is reluctant to put public safety before all else say taxi action group

Uber’s London operator’s licence renewal is “testament to the reluctance of Transport for London to put public safety before all else”, says taxi action group. The United Taxi Action Group (UTAG), made the statement to members after announcing their planned legal action last month, should Uber be granted a renewed operator’s licence.

TfL announced this week its decision to issue Uber London Limited (ULL) with a two-month private hire operator licence, ahead of consideration of any potential further licensing application. The new two-month licence will have the same conditions that ULL has been subject to over the last 15 months, along with new conditions covering ride sharing, appropriate insurance and driver document checks by Uber.  A spokesperson from UTAG responded to the decision by saying: “This award of a further 2-month window in order to give ULL a third chance to ‘get their house in order’ is further testament to the reluctance of TfL to put public safety before all else.” UTAG earlier this year took Westminster Magistrates Court to a High Court Judicial Review, based around the decision to grant a probationary licence to Uber in 2018. The group lost the review which was based around a conflict of interest and flawed reasoning. The UTAG spokesperson went on to add: “After seeking advice we remain ready and waiting for the decision in 2 months. Be assured we will take the correct action at the right time, including challenging any decision that is made.  Now is not the time. “We remain totally committed to holding TfL to account in court for the damage caused to our trade through inept and cowardly regulation that is seemingly biased in favour of a well-funded but unfit operator.”