ADCU backs London Assembly Member’s call for urgent Government action to halt areas of decline in taxi and private hire sectors
- Perry Richardson
- Oct 6
- 3 min read
The App Drivers’ and Couriers’ Union (ADCU) has welcomed a call from London Assembly Member and Chair of the Transport Committee, Elly Baker, urging the Government to take immediate steps to protect the capital’s private hire and taxi sectors.
Baker has written to Transport for London (TfL) Commissioner Andy Lord and Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander MP, raising concern over the sharp decline in the number of active taxi drivers in London. In her letter, she outlined key actions to help stabilise the trade, including new legislative powers for TfL to introduce a cap on private hire vehicle numbers, mandatory data sharing by operators, and increased financial support for drivers.
These proposals mirror long-standing ADCU demands for tighter regulation of app-based operators and stronger safeguards for workers. The union has repeatedly warned that the rapid growth of digital platforms such as Uber, Bolt and Freenow has outpaced existing legislation, leaving drivers vulnerable and eroding fair competition across the sector.
Baker criticised both the Government and TfL for being slow to respond to changes brought by the rise of app-based platforms. She expressed disappointment that TfL had not engaged with the London Assembly Transport Committee before publishing its Taxi and Private Hire Plan 2025, despite repeated requests for consultation.
ADCU President Cristina-Georgiana Ioanitescu said the union shared Baker’s concerns and called for urgent measures to improve safety and fairness. She said the union had participated in multiple evidence sessions but saw few of its recommendations reflected in TfL’s final plan. Ioanitescu added that greater data transparency, limits on new licences, and the banning of features such as Uber’s Trip Radar are essential to protect drivers’ welfare and ensure they can earn a sustainable income.
Ioanitescu said: “We share Elly Baker’s disappointment in the lack of proactive engagement with the London Assembly’s Transport Committee before the publication of the Taxi and Private Hire Action Plan, having participated in a number of evidence-gathering sessions, making critical recommendations on behalf of our members, most of which were not reflected in the Plan.
“We echo Baker’s calls for greater data transparency, vehicle caps, and ending the use of dangerous technologies such as Uber’s Trip Radar. These are key protections our members urgently need in order to operate safely, and to make a reasonable living.
“ADCU stands ready to engage directly, and meaningfully, with both TfL and Government, to build a robust, fit-for-purpose and joined-up transport system which both serves our communities, and ensures that drivers’ pay and conditions are fully protected.”
The ADCU reaffirmed its commitment to engage directly with both TfL and the Government to help create a transport framework that supports drivers and communities while maintaining high service standards.
Elly Baker said she feared for the future of the trade if stronger oversight was not introduced. Baker said: "I'm concerned about the future taxi and private hire in London, and the lack of meaningful engagement with drivers' representatives and the London Assembly Transport Committee has added to those fears. I have been grateful to ADCU for their active participation in our evidence gathering, enabling us to understand the real-world impact of the lack of regulation on the large app-based operators.
"I'd urge the Government and TfL to listen to those who live and breathe these trades, so we can genuinely move to a taxi and private hire sector that works for drivers and passengers alike."
Alongside this, the ADCU is calling for amendments to the Employment Rights Bill to clarify worker status for private hire and taxi drivers, many of whom remain classed as self-employed. The union is also submitting evidence to the Transport Committee’s Joined-up Journeys inquiry, focusing on how private hire services can better support an integrated national transport network.
