Gatwick taxi drivers have staged a protest at the airport over Uber’s swerving of licensing laws that is crippling local trade, according to Unite.
In a statement Unite says that 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 general secretary Sharon Graham said:
“Unite will not rest until Gatwick takes action to address our members’ concerns. Nor can the government continue to sit on the sidelines – Uber’s sidestepping of local licensing laws is hurting workers and putting passengers at risk across the country. Ministers need to close the loopholes in the legislation.”
The protest launches a new Unite campaign to force Gatwick to ensure local drivers are not put at an unfair disadvantage by Uber. As well as actions to pressure Gatwick and Uber, the union is also demanding government implement the recommendations of the Casey Report to strengthen weak council taxi licensing laws that Uber is taking advantage of.
(Pic; Yay Images)
