Uber is facing a multi-million pound lawsuit from London’s black taxi drivers, in a reignition of the long-running dispute over how the ride-hailing app operates in the British capital.
The action, which will be filed in the High Court on Thursday, alleges that Uber illegally obtained a license from Transportation for London in 2012 and therefore illegally took away business from other drivers.
The value of the claim is estimated at a minimum of £250 million, with each of the 10,500 black taxi drivers potentially eligible for compensation of up to £25,000, according to RGL Management, the management company for disputes which represents them.
All London black cab drivers who worked full or part time between June 2012 and mid-March 2018, including those who have since retired, can join the action, according to a statement on the RGL website.
“Uber appears to believe it is above the law and London taxi drivers have suffered loss of income because of this,” Garry White, who has driven a black taxi for 36 years, said in a statement. “It’s time for them to be held accountable.”
The trial revives a complaint that drivers first tried to bring against Uber in 2018, alleging the company misled TfL about the operation of its operating system. The suit was temporarily dropped amid the pandemic.
Michael Green, director of RGL Management, said: “There are still thousands of eligible taxi drivers who have not yet done so. A deadline is fast approaching. »
“These old claims are completely unfounded,” an Uber spokesperson said. “Uber operates legally in London, is fully licensed by TfL and is proud to serve millions of passengers and drivers across the capital.”
Uber has faced a series of disputes over its operations in London, with Transport for London (TfL) refusing to renew the company’s license in 2017 because it did not consider the company sufficiently responsible for public safety .
The ride-hailing app successfully appealed the decision after the renewal was denied again two years later. Its current license expires at the end of September.
Read more on Sky News:
Seven Tips for Getting a Free Plane Upgrade
Chinese companies receive much more support than Western companies
Drivers also won compensation after the Supreme Court in 2021 approved a landmark employment tribunal ruling that they should be classified as workers, entitled to minimum wage and holiday pay.
The company was the subject of an international investigation published in 2022 by The Guardian after the leak of more than 100,000 files revealing the company’s attempts to pressure politicians and cut off access to their bases of data in the event of police raids.
Keep up to date with all the latest news from the UK and around the world by following Sky News
Tap here
Uber representatives said in a statement at the time that they would make no excuses for their past behavior.
The company’s current chief executive, Dara Khosrowshahi, was appointed in 2017 to replace co-founder Travis Kalanick and turn the company around.
The company weathered the pandemic and recorded its first annual profit in 2023.
[ad_2]
