TfL denied Uber operator license, ride hailing service wins on appeal (Sept 2020)

[phillm]

One problem if they go is they have put a load of mini cab firms out of business in the five years they have been operating. If Uber goes off a cliff at the end date then there will be a vacuum - then see how prices operate in a constricted market. I think most Londoners want a chastened , reformed Uber in the market but they have been damned convenient for a vast swathe of folk , and their shared taxi model can make best use of the roads and cars at a price affordable to most. I would have thought bus champions would welcome a bit less overcrowding that an optimised travel market could provide.

 

[cupid_stunt]

I contacted the police one time after my daughter was driven in a car which was not licenced.

They told me there was nothing they could do about it.

They lied.

 

[Crispy]

Need a little work on the details there.

I'm sure we can figure it out

 

[phillm]

And what about the tax dodging, anti-unionism and attack on working conditions of Uber, is that enough reason to boycott them?

Not picking up BAME punters is utterly shit and TfL should be down on it like a ton of bricks but arguing for the slime that is Uber is counterproductive and hurts everyone.

I'd say Amazon are bigger villains in mega-corp terms - do you use them ? If you boycott them all then hats off to you !

 

[Teaboy]

One problem if they go is they have put a load of mini cab firms out of business in the five years they have been operating. If Uber goes off a cliff at the end date then there will be a vacuum - then see how prices operate in a constricted market. I think most Londoners want a chastened , reformed Uber in the market but they have been damned convenient for a vast swathe of folk , and their shared taxi model can make best use of the roads and cars at a price affordable to most. I would have thought bus champions would welcome a bit less overcrowding that an optimised travel market could provide.

I honestly think uber will get a licence issued shortly. Its just to big a set up not to.

 

[redsquirrel]

I'd say Amazon are bigger villains in mega-corp terms - do you use them ? If you boycott them all then hats off to you !

I've not argued for a boycott of anybody.

 

[cupid_stunt]

I honestly think uber will get a licence issued shortly. Its just to big a set up not to.

I agree again, this is a big kick-up the arse to Uber, in order to force it to get its house in order, which I am fairly sure they will considering the money involved.

 

[Guineveretoo]

In fairness to the filth they do take unlicensed cabs pretty seriously, or at least used to when it was more of a problem. A friend who joined City of London spent pretty much his first year in plain clothes jumping in unlicensed cab and nicking them. Problem is they have to catch them red handed otherwise its just one persons word against another.

When I first started going out in London, the police had no interest in this at all, and unlicensed cabbies used to tout for business all over central London. They clamped down on it, eventually, thankfully, but they still didn't seem that interested in private hire firms which continued to use unlicensed drivers and cars.

it was a few years ago that I reported that unsafe car. In the end, my daughter and I just decided to boycott that company, which was a bit of a hassle, as it is the nearest one to us.

Perhaps the police would be more interested now, except that the police are known to have fewer resources than they did a few years ago, so it seems unlikely.

 

[maomao]

When I first started going out in London, the police had no interest in this at all, and unlicensed cabbies used to tout for business all over central London. They clamped down on it, eventually, thankfully, but they still didn't seem that interested in private hire firms which continued to use unlicensed drivers and cars.

it was a few years ago that I reported that unsafe car. In the end, my daughter and I just decided to boycott that company, which was a bit of a hassle, as it is the nearest one to us.

Perhaps the police would be more interested now, except that the police are known to have fewer resources than they did a few years ago, so it seems unlikely.

Was it more than fourteen years ago?

Tfl/Pco would definitely take this seriously. I've had drivers' licenses pulled on the spot for offenses like touting and had cars banned from working for faults discovered during spot checks while carrying passengers.

 

[Teaboy]

When I first started going out in London, the police had no interest in this at all, and unlicensed cabbies used to tout for business all over central London. They clamped down on it, eventually, thankfully, but they still didn't seem that interested in private hire firms which continued to use unlicensed drivers and cars.

Yeah initially the police turned a blind eye because they were useful. There were too few black cabs and the tube didn't run late enough so they provided a service which the police thought was useful. Of course than the sexual assault reports started to roll in and everything changed.

 

[editor]

Ffs. My other half said they most certainly don't pick him up then I heard a few older West Indian folk on the radio calling in to say it. Now that's enough fucking reason to boycott fucking black cabs. I'm not saying all the drivers are racists but there seems to be a major problem here.

If you look a bit 'different' there's always a good chance that they'll ignore you too. I've got no love for black cabs at all.

 

[cupid_stunt]

Was it more than fourteen years ago?

Tfl/Pco would definitely take this seriously. I've had drivers' licenses pulled on the spot for offenses like touting and had cars banned from working for faults discovered during spot checks while carrying passengers.

I assume TfL works in conjunction with the police on spot checks & reports of unlicensed cab drivers, like they do in the rest of the country?

The licensing authority deals with the licensing issues, whilst the police deal with crimes concerning vehicles not being fit to be on the road, and invalid insurance, etc.

 

[maomao]

I assume TfL works in conjunction with the police on spot checks & reports of unlicensed cab drivers, like they do in the rest of the country?

The licensing authority deals with the licensing issues, whilst the police deal with crimes concerning vehicles not being fit to be on the road, and invalid insurance, etc.

PCO vehicles do 6 monthly MOTs and annual PCO checks to ensure that they're fit to be used as passenger vehicles and are judged to a higher standard at spot checks by PCO officials. Giving work to a driver without having a copy of their up to date hire and reward insurance on file is a breech of the operator's license and so also a matter for the PCO.

And yes, on road checks are in conjunction with filth.

 

[Guineveretoo]

Was it more than fourteen years ago?

Tfl/Pco would definitely take this seriously. I've had drivers' licenses pulled on the spot for offenses like touting and had cars banned from working for faults discovered during spot checks while carrying passengers.

It might have been. My daughter moved out 11 years ago

Why?

 

[maomao]

It might have been. My daughter moved out 11 years ago

Why?

Because they only brought in PCO licensing for vehicles in 2003. PCO checks are very very strict these days. Giving work to unlicensed drivers probably does happen though.

 

[agricola]

Yeah initially the police turned a blind eye because they were useful. There were too few black cabs and the tube didn't run late enough so they provided a service which the police thought was useful. Of course than the sexual assault reports started to roll in and everything changed.

Not really. Officers at Charing Cross and West End Central regularly (at least around 1999-2003) used to go out to catch unlicenced minicabs and many people appeared at Bow Street as a result; it was a very easy offence to prove, there was a very quick turnaround time in custody and it didn't require that much paperwork. The PCO used to go out with officers as well, but they seemed to focus on black cabs.

 

[Teaboy]

Not really. Officers at Charing Cross and West End Central regularly (at least around 1999-2003) used to go out to catch unlicenced minicabs and many people appeared at Bow Street as a result; it was a very easy offence to prove, there was a very quick turnaround time in custody and it didn't require that much paperwork. The PCO used to go out with officers as well, but they seemed to focus on black cabs.

Fair enough. Just CoL Police who were slack fuckers than.

 

[editor]

This petition has already reached 196k signatures

Save Your Uber in London

The Mayor and Transport for London (TfL) today announced that they have decided not to renew Uber’s Operator Licence when it expires on 30th September.

By wanting to ban our app from the capital, Transport for London and the Mayor have given in to a small number of people who want to restrict consumer choice. If this decision stands, it will put more than 40,000 licensed drivers out of work and deprive millions of Londoners of a convenient and affordable form of transport. This decision is affecting the real lives of a huge number of honest and hard-working drivers in London.

The 3.5 million Londoners who rely on Uber to get a safe, reliable and affordable ride around the best city in the world will be astounded by the decision to ban Uber from the capital.

This ban shows the world that London is far from being open and is closed to innovative companies, who bring choice to consumers and work opportunities to those who need them.

Safety is of the highest importance and drivers who use Uber are licensed by Transport for London and have been through the same enhanced background checks as black cab drivers. Our pioneering technology has gone further to enhance safety with every trip tracked and recorded by GPS.

To defend the livelihoods of 40,000 drivers - and the consumer choice of millions of Londoners - sign this petition asking the Mayor to reverse the decision to ban Uber in London.

Sign the Petition

 

[redsquirrel]

The petition has already reached 196k sigantures

Sign the Petition

And do you think that's a good thing or not? Will you be signing it?

 

[Teaboy]

This petition has already reached 196k signatures



Sign the Petition

I imagine they'll get close to 1/2 million. Its London, we had Boris Johnson as mayor.

 

[cupid_stunt]

maomao & agricola - sounds about the same as in Sussex, I know a few cab drivers, the head controller of one big firm & the owner of a small firm. The cops are hot on reports of unlicensed cabs, and generally start with them driving uninsured, as normal insurance is invalid for carrying fee-paying passengers, then move onto how fit the vehicle is to be on the road, and then involves the local authority for any issues over licencing.

ETA: Basically it's always a joint thing, police take the lead on unlicensed cabs, local authority on licensed cabs.

 

[phillm]

And do you think that's a good thing or not? Will you be signing it?

I think positions are well known. 203k now.

 

[Guineveretoo]

Because they only brought in PCO licensing for vehicles in 2003. PCO checks are very very strict these days. Giving work to unlicensed drivers probably does happen though.

It was after that. Because I remember that it was, specifically, an unlicensed one despite the company now being a licensed company.

In fact, now I think about it, it was after my daughter had moved out, so it was after 2006, as well.

 

[Guineveretoo]

I imagine they'll get close to 1/2 million. Its London, we had Boris Johnson as mayor.

I can't bring myself to sign it because I don't want to support the status quo.

 

[editor]

And do you think that's a good thing or not? Will you be signing it?

Just getting rid of a service that is as widely used as Uber will not be of any overall benefit to Londoners and it will also deprive thousands of drivers of their income overnight. That's not to say that Uber's working practices shouldn't be reformed though. So what do you think?

 

[Teaboy]

Remember when Virgin lost their west coast main line franchise and they managed to start a pretty successful petition. Brand loyalty is an odd thing and quite frankly some people will sign anything for the lulz.

 

[Teaboy]

A sexual assault accusation against one of its drivers every 11 days should be very worrying to uber. The fact they are trying to hide this sort of stuff should be worrying to all of us. I don't think I'll be signing that.

 

[redsquirrel]

Just getting rid of a service that is as widely used as Uber will not be of any overall benefit to Londoners and it will also deprive thousands of drivers of their income overnight. That's not to say that Uber's working practices shouldn't be reformed though. So what do you think?

I think you seem to oppose a relative minor setback (that in the longer term should result in minor progress for workers) for a tax-dodging, anti-union, company which has been attack workers rights from day one. A rather strange position for a supposed socialist to take.

 

[maomao]

Just getting rid of a service that is as widely used as Uber will not be of any overall benefit to Londoners and it will also deprive thousands of drivers of their income overnight. That's not to say that Uber's working practices shouldn't be reformed though. So what do you think?

It's Uber's fault for not complying not Tfl's for somehow finally finding the balls to sanction them for it.

 

[cupid_stunt]

Just getting rid of a service that is as widely used as Uber will not be of any overall benefit to Londoners and it will also deprive thousands of drivers of their income overnight. That's not to say that Uber's working practices shouldn't be reformed though. So what do you think?

But, they will not be disappearing overnight, they can continue to operate whilst the appeal is ongoing. They have yet another chance to put their house in order, as if they haven't had plenty of time already to start doing that.

If they fail to reform, and lose their appeal, do you still want to support a massive international corporate failing to ensure their drivers have proper criminal records checks & medical reports, and failing to report serious criminal offences?