High Court judge to rule on legality of Uber after TfL claims it breaks the law

A High Court judge will today decided the fate of Uber
Laura Proto16 October 2015

A High Court judge will today make a ruling on whether Uber is legal.

Transport for London (TfL) is seeking clarification on whether the minicab-hailing app, which is used by thousands of Londoners, breaks the law by operating in the same way as meters used to calculate fares in strictly regulated black cabs

Uber uses GPS technology through its app but the Private Hire Vehicles (London) Act 1998 bans private hire cars from being equipped with taximeters.

Bosses from Uber argued at a hearing with TfL earlier this month that the smartphone app was not a meter and was not unlawful.

The app records the car’s location and the journey time via the drivers smartphone and feeds the information to its servers in California, before the fare is calculated and relayed back to the driver and passenger.

The Licensed Taxi Drivers’ Association (LTDA) asked the judge to rule that the app acted as a meter and asked for it to be banned.

Black cab drivers claim the app poses a risk to public safety and customers being overcharged and having no opportunity to challenge fares before money is taken automatically from their bank accounts.

The Licensed Private Hire Car Association (LPHCA) is backing the LTDA and said the app is “an attempt to circumvent the statutory prohibition” on minicabs using meters.

An Uber spokesman said: "We believe the Uber app on a partner-driver's phone is not a taximeter, and TfL - the regulator - shares this view.

"We are looking forward to getting binding clarity on this issue in the High Court."

The spokesman stressed whatever the outcome it would not affect Uber's ability to operate in London, even if adjustments had to be made.

Mayor of London Boris Johnson said disruption from companies such as Uber is inevitable but creating a “level playing field” for the black cab trade is the best option.

Previously, Mr Johnson said in his weekly Daily Telegraph column that the app was "allowing private hire vehicles to behave like black taxis: to be hailed, to ply for hire in the streets, to do exactly what the law says they are not supposed to do".

He added it would be “nuts” to ban the technology behind the app and called for minicabs and taxis to work together to “find a balance” for the benefit of London.

Additional reporting by Press Association.

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