DRIVERLESS RIDEHAIL: Private hire drivers HALT London Assembly meeting in protest over autonomous passenger service plans
- Perry Richardson
- 1 day ago
- 3 min read
Private hire drivers disrupted a London Assembly Transport Committee meeting at City Hall on Wednesday 24 June in protest against the planned rollout of autonomous passenger vehicles on London’s streets.
The meeting, which was examining the future of autonomous vehicle technology in the capital, heard evidence from representatives of Waymo, the world’s largest commercial ‘robotaxi’ operator, and UK-based autonomous driving firm Wayve, which has received more than £1 billion in backing from Uber.
Members of the Independent Workers’ Union of Great Britain (IWGB) repeatedly stood to interrupt proceedings, voicing concerns over passenger safety, road congestion and the potential impact on the livelihoods of more than 100,000 private hire drivers in London. The committee was forced to pause several times before security officers removed protesters from the room, with committee members and invited speakers temporarily leaving the chamber.
Drivers challenged claims that autonomous vehicles would improve accessibility for disabled passengers, arguing that those needs were being used to justify driverless technology without sufficient evidence. Others questioned why licensed drivers, whose jobs could be directly affected by the proposals, had not been invited to participate in the discussions.
The protest comes just weeks after the Government passed legislation allowing companies to begin applying for permits to commercially operate robotaxis on UK roads following testing programmes. While autonomous vehicle companies have already been conducting trials in London, Transport for London will retain powers over whether permits are issued for services operating in the capital.
Trade unions and campaign groups have increasingly questioned the pace of autonomous vehicle development, arguing there has been insufficient consultation with workers and the public before commercial deployment moves forward.
Rez Kamyabi, an IWGB member and private hire driver of 10 years who took part in the protest, said: “We interrupted today’s meeting because we can’t afford to wait. TfL is considering plans that could push tens of thousands of drivers into mass unemployment. I’ve been a driver for more than 10 years, and despite everything that is wrong with the sector it’s a job that I’m skilled at and that I enjoy. I won’t let them take it from me, just so that tech bosses can get even richer.”
Kamyabi added: “When drivers united with the IWGB during the licence crisis last year, we got organised, we protested, and we forced TfL to fix the delays crisis. We can win against them again. But we need drivers across London to team up in bigger numbers than ever before. We call on all private hire drivers to join us because it’s now or never. If drivers do not act, decisions will be made without us by people who will not face the consequences. Either we come together and fight, or soon we may not have anything left to fight for.”
Alex Marshall, President of the IWGB Union, said: “We are sleepwalking into a crisis. TfL needs to wake up and put the brakes on this threat to our city. Robotaxis will clog up our roads, put the public in danger, threaten more than a hundred thousand drivers’ jobs, and transfer power from the hands of Londoners to the hands of tech execs.”
He continued: “The people who live in this city and make it great have not even been consulted about this wholesale takeover of our public space. Decisions about London’s future cannot be made without the voices of the communities who will be affected.”
Marshall also criticised the Government’s approach to autonomous vehicle policy, adding: “The Government is rushing through these cars in the name of ‘innovation’, but innovation only matters when it serves people. What value is innovation when it does not serve London communities, does not serve workers, and only benefits the billionaires behind these companies?”
He added: “Together we can claim back London for Londoners, not tech billionaires. Drivers in Texas and New York have already halted the rollout. If London drivers unite like we did during the licence crisis, we can force TfL to the table and do the same.”
