Uber originally backed the changes but said its opposition arose after more details of the regulations emerged. “This legal action is very much a last resort,” Tom Elvidge, general manager of Uber London said in a statement yesterday.
“We’re particularly disappointed that, after a lengthy consultation process with Transport for London, the goalposts have moved at the last minute and new rules are now being introduced that will be bad for both drivers and tech companies like Uber.”
Despite facing regulatory challenges in numerous countries, Uber has so far expanded to more than 50 countries and is worth an estimated $68 billion. The company’s application for judicial review in London focuses on four of the new TfL rules. They include the requirement that all private hire drivers not from majority English-speaking countries must prove their language skills. While Uber supported an English-speaking and-listening test, it has argued that making drivers provide a certificate showing they have an intermediate level of writing and reading is unnecessary and costly. Uber has more than 30,000 drivers in London and estimates thousands would be affected by the change.
Under the new rules private hire companies will be required to run an operating centre within London, which their passengers are able to call during a ride. Uber’s customer support centre is currently based in Ireland and it is against moving its operations to London. Other rules opposed by Uber relate to drivers’ insurance policies and the requirement that the company inform TfL of any upcoming changes to its app. TfL confirmed it received a letter from Uber warning it of the legal challenge. “We responded to Uber’s letter and will be robustly defending the legal proceedings brought by them in relation to the changes to private hire regulations,” a TfL spokesman said in a statement.
http://goo.gl/nSMr6A
London's black cab drivers today called for more taxi ranks to be installed outside Underground stations ahead of the launch of the Night Tube.
The Licensed Taxi Drivers Association said it wants every station stop on the 24-hour service to have a working cab rank outside.
It urged local authorities across the capital to work together to ensure taxi ranks were installed close to stations to increase the safety of Night Tube passengers.
The Night Tube will launch on the Central and Victoria lines from Friday, with the Northern, Piccadilly and Jubilee lines following in the autumn.
Night Tube could attract 200,000 passengers every weekend, TfL says
TfL said there will be taxi ranks at 12 Central line stations and eight Victoria line stations when it launches this weekend.
Steve McNamara, LTDA general secretary, said: "London is a 24-hour city and it is only right that it has a 24-hour tube service.
"We want everyone enjoying a night out to know they'll be able to get home safe, and so think that every Night Tube station needs to have a working cab rank during Night Tube hours.
"The LTDA is currently speaking with local authorities across the capital to ensure that this is the case".
http://goo.gl/7Dm2PU
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LIVERPOOL
A Delta taxi driver has pleaded not guilty to raping a male passenger.
Khaldon Mohammed is alleged to have attacked the customer in his taxi in Aigburth late last year.
Mohammed, of Gwendoline Street in Toxteth , is alleged to have picked up the victim before attacking him near Sefton Park
The 30-year-old denied two counts of rape at Liverpool Crown Court today and is due to stand trial on January 12.
He was released on bail with conditions not to drive a taxi and not to contact the complainant.
He must also sign on at a police station three times a week.
Bootle-based Delta is one of the biggest taxi companies in the North West and employs more than 2,200 private hire drivers, according to its website.
http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/delta-taxi-driver-pleads-not-11757139
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