Further protests by Gatwick airport taxi drivers, angry that Crawley council is failing to act against Uber damaging their livelihoods by breaking local licensing laws. will take place this evening. The protest at the full council meeting comes after Gatwick airport began advertising Uber services to passengers and introduced Uber reserved bays at the airport.

Currently, Uber has an unfair advantage over Crawley’s private hire taxis because it can circumvent the local authority’s licensing laws, resulting in Uber cars registered in London entering the town and waiting for passengers. Private hire taxis, on the other hand, cannot pick up fares outside of their licensing areas unless they have been pre-booked.  

The situation has led to an influx of London-based Uber cars into Crawley which are then parking up to poach private hire car business. Uber’s growing encroachment into Crawley’s taxi sector is damaging livelihoods and undermining the local economy, which is heavily dependent on Gatwick.

Unite regional officer Dominic Rothwell said: “Crawley council needs to protect the local taxi trade, which is vital to Crawley’s economic wellbeing, by enforcing its own laws against Uber.

“The council needs to release its promised investigation into Uber’s behaviour and crackdown on both the company and Gatwick airport, both of which are responsible for setting up a business model that is a direct contravention of the council’s licensing laws.

“The totally unfair practice of London-based Uber cars picking up fares booked while they are parked up in Crawley must end.”