Uber, the taxi-hailing app that is taking on traditional cab drivers around the world, faces the prospect of a severe crackdown in London under proposals from the capital’s transport authority.
Transport for London is launching a consultation that includes measures such as forcing operators to provide booking confirmation details to the passenger at least five minutes before a journey starts. However, Uber picks up passengers three minutes after they request a car on average.
“We are launching a public consultation in order to inform and improve the regulations that govern the capital’s private hire trade,” said Garrett Emmerson, chief operating officer for surface transport at TfL.
TfL, which is overseen by London mayor Boris Johnson, has in the past been seen by rivals as being too soft on California-based Uber.
“In recent years the private hire industry has grown exponentially and technology has also developed rapidly,” Emmerson said.
“The consultation sets out a number of ways that standards across the industry could be raised, ensuring Londoners can continue to benefit from the service provided by licensed private hire vehicles. No final decisions have been made and we’re keen to hear a range of views from the trade and from Londoners, too.”
Having taken a relaxed view on the growth of Uber at the outset, in recent months TfL has become increasingly worried by the growth in traffic on the roads of London and has decided to consult on new proposals for private hire companies. Some of these proposals would ban or restrict a proportion of Uber’s key features.
Draft proposals include making operators offer a facility to pre-book up to seven days in advance. Uber currently offers a pre-booking service only minutes before a journey.
Another proposal would force drivers to work for one operator at a time. Many of Uber’s drivers are part-time workers. There is also a draft proposal that would place restrictions on ride sharing, which allows several customers to share a car and could threaten Uber’s plans to introduce its UberPool service in London.
Uber immediately hit out at the plans. “These bureaucratic new rules will not improve your ride,” said Jo Bertram, Uber’s UK head.
“They’re designed to address the concerns of black cab drivers, who feel under pressure from increased competition. But the answer is to reduce the onerous regulations cabbies face today – not increase them for everyone else.”
Mike Galvin, head of regulatory affairs for Addison Lee, the largest private hire company in the UK, said TfL’s move came after a period in which legislation had been dropped to accommodate Uber. “They’re using the consultation to reinstate legislation that we worked under for years.”
