Transportation for London is pleased that the Uber taxi application is operating
within the legislation, despite protests from legions of the city's black taxi
drivers.
The mobile ride-sharing app is free to carry on operating within the
city, based on TfL, which rejected cabbies' claims the app's driver's should be
licensed because of the method they calculate fees.
Within a statement to the
TFL panel, MD of Surface Transportation Leon Daniels said: "In relation to the
way Uber are operating in London, TfL is pleased that based upon our knowledge
of the relationship between passenger as well as Uber London, and among Uber
London and Above all BV, registered in The netherlands, that it is operating
lawfully underneath the terms of the 1988 PHV(L) Take action. "
Drivers use
mobile phones to meter fares instead of traditional taximeters and as a result
"have no operational or actual physical connection with the vehicles, as well as
[so] ! are not taximeters within the which means of the legislation, " Daniels
said.
Standstill
The judgment comes after London black taxi drivers
brought attempted to use the capital to a standstill having a strike last
month.
TFL's choice isn't the end of the issue. Whether smartphones can be
categorised as taximeters will be made the decision in a British court the
following month.
For now, Uber drivers have time to go about their business.
