TfL must give private hire sector ‘urgent consideration’ after judgement says Transport Committee

London’s Transport Committee has warned the capital’s transport regulators they should provide ‘urgent consideration’ to the private hire sector based on the consequences of yesterday’s workers’ rights judgement.

The Supreme Court yesterday handed victory to Uber drivers in their six-year battle for worker rights including the right to earn the minimum wage and holiday pay.

Tens of thousands of Uber drivers can now claim the right to be classed as workers after the Supreme Court handed down its judgment.

Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London, said via social media: “A welcome ruling by the Supreme Court today.

“This is a landmark decision for Londoners who are low paid and lack job security, and a massive moment for employment rights in the UK. Gig economy workers deserve the same rights as other workers. Congratulations to all involved.”

Alison Moore AM, Chair of the Transport Committee, said: “Today’s Supreme Court decision on Uber will have consequences for the private hire sector in London. TfL (Transport for London) will need to give urgent consideration to what this could mean for transport around the capital in the future.

“While today’s ruling is mainly focused on the employment rights of Uber drivers, this decision may have a knock on effect for transport in the capital. As more details of the impact of this decision emerge, our Committee will be investigating what this means for Londoners and London’s private hire drivers.”

In response to the Supreme Court’s judgement, Jaime Heywood, Uber’s Regional General Manager for Northern and Eastern Europe, said: “We respect the Court’s decision which focused on a small number of drivers who use the Uber app in 2016.

“Since then we have made some significant changes to our business, guided by drivers every step of the way. These include giving even more control over how they earn and providing more protections like free insurance in case of sickness or injury. We are committed to doing more and will now consult with every active driver across the UK to understand the changes they want to see.”