Uber celebrating victory in London

London’s Transport Authority has backed down on app restrictions in London which could have severely hampered 25,000 Uber drivers and other app-based car pick-up services. The California based international private-hire company had earlier urged its users to oppose suggestions that included a ban on apps being able to show where their nearby available vehicles are.

Uber said “it means Uber can continue to keep London moving with a convenient, safe and affordable ride at the push of a button on your smart phone.”

London Transport Authority was considering banning the apps following complaints from London Black-cab drivers about “unfair competition”.  However, the Licensed Taxi Drivers (LTDA) said there had been a “missed opportunity. Other rejected measures included: minimum five-minute delay between pick-up confirmations being sent out and drivers being able to collect their passengers, requirement that private-hire companies let customers pre-book cars up to seven days in advance and limitation that drivers be registered to only a single operator at a time. Boris Johnson, the London Mayor has formally asked Transport for London (TFL) to investigate whether all private-hire drivers should lose their exemption from the City’s congestion-charge scheme, which would mean they would have to pay £11.50 to drive in a central zone on weekdays. TFL public consultation last September created 16,000 responses. TFL said a final decision on the proposed changed would be made by 17 March 2016.

Steve McNamara LTDA’s general secretary said TFL’s genuine desire to regulate private vehicles curtailed by enormous political pressure put upon it.”

Black-cab drivers however are planning to organise a crowd funding campaign to pay for a legal case that they hope will result in Uber’s London licence being withdrawn.