The last time a ride-hailing app allowed taxi drivers to offer rides in London was in 2017. Photo: Oli Scarff/Getty Images
Uber is seeking to settle a decade-long dispute with London taxi drivers by allowing taxi drivers to check fares through the company's app.
The US minibus app says it will offer rides in a black taxi in the capital. The company will offer the service by signing up individual taxi drivers.
Uber said it had signed up the first few drivers ahead of the service's launch in the New Year.
This is the first time in six years that travelers will be able to call black taxis through the application. Uber allowed taxi drivers to offer rides in London from 2014 to 2017, but stopped the feature because too few drivers were using it.
Uber has had trouble signing up amid a long-running battle between the app and blacks. taxi drivers who claimed the ride-hailing service was undermining them.
London's largest taxi union has rejected Uber's latest bid and said its members are unlikely to join.
Licensed Taxi Drivers' Association (LTDA ), which represents more than half of the capital's 17,706 registered drivers, said it was stunned by Uber's actions.
LTDA general secretary Steve McNamara said: “We don't know all the drivers who have been recruited and don't believe our members would even consider joining the app given its well-documented and poor track record on everything from passenger safety to workers' rights in London “.
Andrew Brehm, head of Uber in the UK, said it was a “win-win” that would empower taxi drivers and make London's transport network more efficient.
Uber UK boss Andrew Brehm said reintroducing black taxis to the platform was a “win-win” for everyone involved. Photo: David Rose
Uber's attempt to forge a relationship with black taxis marks the success of its latest attempt to become an all-encompassing transportation app, adding trains and flights.
The company said it would charge service fees in six months and collect referral fees from drivers whose fares are regulated.
Uber has waged a series of legal and political battles with taxi drivers across Europe that have swept across Europe. cities by offering passengers cheap rides through a smartphone app, which critics say goes against key rules. Drivers have repeatedly staged protests against Uber, blocking the streets of London.
Uber has since struck a number of deals with taxi companies in 33 countries, including France, Belgium, Italy and the United States.
G- Mr McNamara said taxi drivers were attracting more business from Uber, which has raised prices in London in recent years as a result of huge demand.
He said: “Our business is booming – partly because many of the taxi app's former customers have realized that black taxis offer a much better service at a fair and reasonable price.”
>< p>Mr Brehm said: “We work with taxi drivers around the world, and the message we hear from them is clear: Uber and taxis are better together.”
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