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London’s mayor wants to cap ride-hailing licenses too
The mayor of London is looking to put a cap on the number of ride-hailing drivers in the city, the Guardian reports, and is asking the government to grant him the powers to impose such limits. The move comes just as New York City institutes a one-year moratorium on licensing new ride-hailing drivers. Mayor Sadiq Khan reportedly sent a letter to Chris Grayling, the UK's transport secretary, saying that he was "determined to create a vibrant taxi and private hire market in the capital, with space for all providers to flourish." However, he noted that the massive increase in private hire drivers in the city was "causing increased congestion, polluting our air and leaving many drivers struggling to make enough money to support themselves and their families."
Uber might have to pay £2 million to operate in London
Transport for London (TfL) is proposing licence fee changes that would foot Uber with a £2 million bill. The regulator opened a consultation today that would change the current two tier-system, "small" and "standard," to a more expensive five-level structure. Right now, private hire operators with two vehicles or less pay £1,488 for a five-year licence, while those with three or more pay £2,826. Under the new system, companies with more than 1,000 vehicles would fall into the highest category and have to choose from one of two payment structures: £33,304 per year, plus £14 per registered vehicle, or £166,518, plus £68 per vehicle for a five-year licence.
Uber loses High Court bid to block English language driver tests
Uber's operations in London have been dealt a fresh blow after the High Court ruled that it, and other private hire companies in the city, must force drivers to pass an English language test. The ride-hailing provider was attempting to overturn strict new rules proposed by Transport for London (TfL) last year that included reading and writing tests for drivers, better customer support and private-hire insurance for period when drivers weren't even working.
Hailo ditches private hire vehicles and recommits to black cabs
As the debate over whether private hire taxi apps like Uber are good for London continues to rage on, Hailo has announced it has resigned its licence and will go back to supporting regular black cabs. In a statement, Andrew Pinnington, CEO of Hailo, confirmed that the company will become a champion for the licenced taxi trade in London by campaigning "every level of government, every day" to protect the industry. It also intends to reinforce the benefits of the Knowledge and make "all transport 100 percent accessible, safe, green and reliable – and lead the world on standards, professionalism, and values."
