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More than 10,500 black cab drivers in London have filed a £250m lawsuit against Uber, accusing it of breaching the capital’s taxi booking rules and deliberately misleading authorities to secure a licence.
The case, which was brought at the High Court in London by litigation management firm RGL, revives a claim first brought five years ago over the way the ride-hailing app operated in London between 2012 and 2018
Taxi drivers claim that Uber allowed drivers to accept bookings directly from customers rather than through a centralized system such as those used by mini-business services, in direct breach of private hire rules.
They claim that Uber was aware of the rules and deliberately misled transport for London (TfL) on its booking model to obtain an operating license and take business from black cab drivers.
Uber has denied the allegations and said the claim is without merit.
The drivers, who are being advised by law firm Mishcon de Reya, claim in their lawsuit that they faced unfair competition and lost customers and revenue as a result.
Gary White, a black cab driver with 36 years experience, said: “This claim seeks justice and fair compensation on behalf of London taxi drivers. Uber seems to believe it is above the law and taxi drivers in London have suffered a loss of revenue because of it. It is time they were held to account.”
RGL said if the taxi drivers were successful in their claim, they could secure more than £250m, with people potentially winning £25,000 or more.
An Uber spokesperson said: “These old claims are completely unfounded. Uber operates legally in London and is fully licensed by TfLand is proud to serve millions of passengers and drivers in the capital.”
It marks the latest bout of legal trouble for Uber. In March, the San Francisco-based company reached A$272 million settlement (£142m) to compensate taxi and hire car drivers who said they lost out when the company “aggressively” moved into the Australian market.
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This class action, which was launched five years ago, was filed on behalf of 8,000 taxi and rental car owners and drivers who claimed Uber X launched in Australia with the intention of harming their businesses. The suit also alleges the company used unlicensed cars with unaccredited drivers in a “conspiracy by unlawful means” and misled regulators.
Dale Forwood, a black cab driver for 12 years, said he hoped the London case would bring justice for local taxi drivers. “I’m glad to see this lawsuit filed today and that we’re finally going to have our day in court,” he said. “Having seen firsthand the harm Uber’s illegal behavior has caused to hard-working taxi drivers, I look forward to seeing justice served.”
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