Uber: TfL’s minicab proposals ‘make no sense’

TfL has previously been criticised by the London Assembly’s transport committee for being inconsistent in how it enforced existing rules. The proposed rule changes include an English language requirement for drivers, a compulsory five-minute wait between order and pick up, and a ban on companies visibly showing available cars on their mobile applications.

Uber is urging its customers to sign a petition against the suggestions, and said the new rules “will mean an end to the Uber you know and love today”.

The consultation will run for 12 weeks and close on 23 December 2015.

Simon Walker, the director general of the Institute of Directors, said that Johnson, together with chancellor George Osborne and business secretary Sajid Javid, should be reducing regulation in the capital’s taxi and private vehicle hire market rather than bringing in new and stiffer rules. Hotels, B&Bs, serviced apartments and other types of visitor accommodation are facing challenges from more lightly regulated home-exchange businesses such as Airbnb.

On Tuesday, Transport for London, the capital’s transport authority, said it would launch a consultation that could result in a severe crackdown over the ride-sharing service in the city.

These were reflected in a statement from the council which said: “The city council requires CCTV in all taxis and private hire vehicles as part of measures to protect passengers and drivers, enhanced police checks for drivers, high training standards for drivers and the provision of wheelchair-accessible vehicles”. “All of the proposed regulatory changes were proposed by the trade in our response, ‘ Licensed Taxi Drivers Association boss Steve McNamara wrote in trade magazine Taxi, adding ‘thousands of LTDA members” had contributed. They’re created to address the concerns of black cab drivers, who are feeling squeezed due to competition.

It also follows the announcement this week that TfL is considering imposing new restrictions on apps such as Uber.

London is now the latest city to turn its attention to Uber’s potential impact on local registered taxi services.

Taxi drivers want Uber shut down or for governments to introduce a level playing field that would make Uber drivers pay the same licence and registration fees.

An online petition set up by Uber against the proposals has already attracted 86,000 signatures. “No final decisions have been made and we’re keen to hear a range of views”, TfL Chief Operating Officer Garrett Emmerson said in the release.