TfL faces legal action over licence delays for Uber and other private hire drivers | TfL

Transport for London is going through an “unprecedented” authorized problem from the union representing Uber and different minicab drivers over claims that delays in issuing licences have broken their livelihoods.TfL has beforehand apologised for delays in licensing however drivers and their union, the Impartial Employees’ Union of Nice Britain (IWGB), say they’re launching the authorized motion due to systemic and persevering with issues with licensing for this group of drivers.There are 108,000 personal rent drivers in London, a lot of whom work for Uber. The precise quantity who’ve skilled issues with delays of their licences being issued will not be identified, however in accordance with Alex Marshall, the IWGB’s president, the union has a WhatsApp group that features about 1,000 drivers experiencing licensing issues.Many of those drivers should not excessive earners and have restricted financial savings, so even a comparatively brief delay in TfL issuing them with a licence can have a major monetary affect as a result of they require one to legally work in London.Some drivers have reported shedding their properties and having their autos repossessed on account of not having the ability to drive their taxis due to a licensing delay.One driver, Robert Dale, 65, died after struggling a coronary heart assault final November. He was ready for his licence to be renewed on the time of his dying. His household say they imagine his dying was linked to the delay as he was unable to work and was pressured and anxious.Raifu Akanmu, an Uber driver who utilized to resume his licence in January, a number of months earlier than his earlier one was resulting from expire, remains to be ready to obtain his new licence and is unable to work as his earlier one expired on the finish of Could.“I’ve run out of cash to pay my payments,” he stated. “I simply maintain eager about how I’m going to outlive and assist my household. I’ve been a driver for 17 years however have by no means skilled issues like this earlier than. I do know so many different Uber drivers who’re affected. All we need to do is figure.”The union has despatched a pre-action letter informing TfL that it’s investigating the likelihood TfL breached the regulation in its dealing with of licence delays.Union officers say hundreds of minicab drivers have been unable to work, generally for months at a time.One other driver, who gave his title as Lee, stated: “The authorized facet of issues has to occur. The phrase that retains popping up is ‘accountability’. We’ve fewer authorized rights and protections than many different staff. This authorized problem is a case of drivers in London saying ‘no’ and ‘sufficient’.“I needed to wait eight months for my licence to be renewed. The licensing course of will not be match for function.”Marshall stated: “The drivers are predominantly Uber. I’ve seen so many lives decimated by this, drivers having to maneuver out of their properties and their automobiles repossessed. We’ve instructed legal professionals to litigate as a result of we want systemic change.”Ahmed Aydeed of Deighton Pierce Glynn Solicitors, which is bringing the authorized problem in opposition to TfL, stated: “TfL is working an illegal system by failing to make sure continuity of licensing for personal rent drivers. Each IWGB and drivers have bravely teamed up on this unprecedented authorized problem to carry TfL to account. Any public authority and authorities that strips individuals of their livelihood will not be match for function.”A TfL spokesperson stated: “We’re very sorry to drivers who’ve skilled points with our processing occasions of personal rent driver licences.“We’ve labored with urgency to take a variety of steps to mitigate the affect of those delays, together with recruiting and coaching further workers and granting short-term personal rent car driver licences the place acceptable. We proceed to take each attainable step to rectify the delays rapidly and make sure that all drivers who meet licensing necessities are licensed and capable of work.”