URGENT ACTION: Private hire union set to meet TfL Commissioner over licensing delays one year after driver’s death
- Perry Richardson
- 5 hours ago
- 2 min read
Union representatives for minicab drivers are set to meet Transport for London (TfL) Commissioner Andy Lord today to demand urgent action on licensing delays, financial pressures, and regulation of ride-hailing operators, exactly one year after the death of driver Rob Dale.
The Independent Workers’ Union of Great Britain (IWGB), which represents private hire drivers, says the meeting at TfL’s Stratford offices comes after months of growing frustration among drivers unable to work while waiting for licence renewals. The union is calling for immediate measures to speed up applications, introduce temporary permits, and protect drivers from losing income due to administrative delays.
Yesterday, dozens of drivers gathered outside the same TfL building for a vigil marking one year since Rob Dale’s death. Dale, who drove for Uber, died from a heart attack after a month out of work when TfL failed to renew his licence in time. He had applied well before expiry, but repeated attempts to get updates from TfL went unanswered.
The IWGB says Dale’s case reflects wider problems within TfL’s licensing system, which has been struggling with backlogs since 2024. Some drivers report waiting months for renewals or new licences, leaving them unable to earn and facing mounting debts. Others have lost vehicles or homes during long periods without work.
The union will also press TfL to consider exemptions for private hire vehicles from the congestion charge, arguing that drivers are being unfairly penalised while providing essential transport services. In addition, it wants stronger regulation of operators such as Uber and Bolt.
TfL has previously said it is increasing staffing and introducing new systems to reduce delays. However, drivers say these steps have yet to make a noticeable difference, with many still reporting long waiting times and poor communication from the licensing department.
Alex Marshall, President of the IWGB Union, said: “Since Rob’s death, the Dale family have turned their grief into action, speaking to the media, confronting TfL officials, and demanding justice, not only for Rob, but for every driver still trapped in this broken system. Their courage has been a light for so many of us. And yet, here we are - one year on - still facing the same delays, the same excuses, and the same indifference. Let’s be clear: this crisis was completely avoidable. TfL’s senior leadership have had every opportunity to fix this system. Instead, they have chosen inaction. We will not stop fighting until TfL is held accountable and this broken system is rebuilt with fairness, dignity, and respect at its core.”
Ben Dale, Rob Dale’s son, said: “My dad loved his job as a driver because he got to meet so many different people and hear all their stories. He was happy, popular, and dedicated to his work. Sadly he was not the man we knew in the months leading up to his passing. The stress caused by being out of work, unable to earn, and kept in the dark about his licensing status consumed him. We will never get our dad back, but we don’t want other families to have to go through this pain.”
