London taxi drivers crowdfund to take on Uber

Action for Cabbies, a company founded by the wife of a black cab driver, has launched a crowdfunding campaign to try and get transport for London (TFL) to try and monitor the use of Uber in London. Using crowdfunder.co.uk the company hopes to raise £600,000 to fund the first round of a judicial review on the 2012 operating licence TFL granted to Uber and its drivers. Action for Cabbies argument is that Uber uses the same meters as black cabs so should therefore be subject to the same standards. 

Action for Cabbies turns to crowdfunding to launch a judicial review challenging Transport for London’s licensing of Uber

A company founded by the wife of a black cab driver will today launch a crowdfunding campaign to try to force Transport for London (TfL) to curb Uber in the capital.

Action for Cabbies will use crowdfunder.co.uk to try and raise £600,000 to fund the first phase of a judicial review, arguing that in 2012 TfL was wrong to grant a licence to Uber and its drivers, Sky News reported.

Artemis Mercer, the wife of a cab driver, will be challenging TfL’s initial decision to grant an operating licence to Uber. The group argues that Uber's drivers use the same meters as black cabs, so should be subject to the same standards.

“There has always been a two-tier system with private hire vehicles on one side and black cabs on the other. TfL did not follow those regulations in 2012: it went from being a law-enforcer to a law-maker,” she told Sky News.

Unlike most crowdfunding campaigns, there is no prospect of a direct return on investments. The fund will focus on targetting black cab drivers, but is open for public donations.