Addison Lee and Uber united against plans to cap private hire numbers
London’s largest private hire operator Addison Lee has found common ground with Uber is opposing Mayor Boris Johnson’s plans to cap the number of private hire vehicles in the capital.
Addison Lee however believes the solution to the increase in minicab numbers is not capping the numbers but regulation.
In an open letter to Mr Johnson and the newly elected MP for Uxbridge and South Ruislip, Liam Griffin the chief executive of Addison Lee described the response of Transport for London to the rise of Uber and similar e hailing solutions as ‘’deplorable’’.
Mr Griffin’s letter went on to say ‘’to apply the same regulatory standards for private hire operators to app-based firms has enabled these e-hailing services to distort public perception of the wider sector’’
Mr Griffin had previously welcomed the review of the private hire regulations but went on to say the simply capping the numbers is ‘’a panic measure brought in to get TFL off the naughty step’’.
Private Hire numbers have increased by a fifth in the past year to over 78,000, Mayor Boris Johnson has said that this has led to higher congestion, more pollution and illegally parked cars.
Addison Lee has said that the failure of Transport of London to properly regulate e-hailing apps such as Uber was the cause of the problem.
Addison Lee has found common ground with many of London Taxi trade organisations.
Both Liam Griffin and The London Black Taxi Trade blame TFLs failure to regulate and the turning of a blind eye to Uber’s behaviour as the reason behind the surge in numbers and many of the issues that this brings.
TFL has so far rejected all the accusations that have been thrown at it and back in March it submitted an application to the High Court for a ruling on whether Uber and other e-hailing apps use a ‘’meter’’.
An initial hearing could be held within the next few weeks but the final decision is not expected for months, by this time it may be too late and Uber may just change their business model slightly to get around this.
Leon Daniel’s, TFLs managing director of surface transport said: ‘’We have not treated, and do not treat, Uber any differently to any other London operator and we are satisfied that Uber complies with private hire requirements.
‘’Where the requirements are met, we are legally obliged to grant an operator’s licence.’’
Today 26th May will see the latest in a series of strikes organised by the United Cabbies group and they how will see thousands of drivers, proceeding slowly from Victoria station to Tfl’s headquarters in nearby St James and we wish them the best of luck.
