Post by The Dark Knight on May 25, 2024 9:14:18 GMT
Gatwick taxi drivers demand Crawley council enforce licensing laws against Uber
Gatwick airport taxi drivers will protest outside a full Crawley council meeting on Friday to demand councillors do more to enforce licensing laws against Uber, which is destroying their livelihoods.
The protest 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 in-flux 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: “Gatwick airport should not be hand in glove with a race to the bottom employer like Uber. Our members are fighting back against the airport and Uber but Crawley council’s lack of action in enforcing its own taxi licensing rules is leaving them at an unfair disadvantage.
“Ultimately, it is Gatwick and Uber that are causing this through the business model they have set up at the airport. Crawley council has the power to stop this by sanctioning Gatwick and Uber for deliberately breaking their taxi licensing laws.
“Crawley council must clampdown on London-based Uber cars picking up fares booked while they parked up in Crawley and clampdown hard.”
www.unitetheunion.org/news-events/news/2024/may/gatwick-taxi-drivers-demand-crawley-council-enforce-licensing-laws-against-uber
Gatwick airport taxi drivers will protest outside a full Crawley council meeting on Friday to demand councillors do more to enforce licensing laws against Uber, which is destroying their livelihoods.
The protest 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 in-flux 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: “Gatwick airport should not be hand in glove with a race to the bottom employer like Uber. Our members are fighting back against the airport and Uber but Crawley council’s lack of action in enforcing its own taxi licensing rules is leaving them at an unfair disadvantage.
“Ultimately, it is Gatwick and Uber that are causing this through the business model they have set up at the airport. Crawley council has the power to stop this by sanctioning Gatwick and Uber for deliberately breaking their taxi licensing laws.
“Crawley council must clampdown on London-based Uber cars picking up fares booked while they parked up in Crawley and clampdown hard.”
www.unitetheunion.org/news-events/news/2024/may/gatwick-taxi-drivers-demand-crawley-council-enforce-licensing-laws-against-uber