Will 2025 be the year that Uber responds to a £330 million London taxi driver group compensation claim?
The legal battle between London’s black cab drivers and ride-hailing giant Uber has intensified, with the potential for a landmark decision in 2025. A group action led by RGL Management, representing nearly 13,300 black cab drivers, now seeks a total of £330 million in compensation.
This legal challenge, known as “BULit21”, centres on claims that Uber’s operations in London between 2012 and 2018 caused significant financial harm to licensed taxi drivers. The latest development came in June 2024, when over 2,400 new claimants joined the action, building on an initial case filed in May by more than 10,500 drivers.
The case argues that Uber’s practices violated the Private Hire Vehicles (London) Act 1998. Specifically, claimants allege that Uber knowingly operated a non-compliant system to secure its Private Hire Vehicle Licence from Transport for London (TfL). According to the lawsuit, Uber misrepresented its operating model, enabling it to undercut traditional black cab services during the six-year period in question.
Eligibility for the case includes any licensed green or yellow badge driver who operated in London between 2012 and 2018. Full-time drivers could be in line for individual payouts exceeding £25,000 if the claim succeeds.
RGL Management alleges that Uber’s licensing practices directly undermined the traditional taxi industry. The case is now advancing through the High Court, with some expecting the group action to set a precedent for similar challenges against ride-hailing companies.
Whether 2025 will see a resolution remains unclear at this point, but the claim is progressing and the potential implications for London’s taxi market remain far-reaching.
