Whether the Uber smartphone app constitutes a taximeter (the use of
which is restricted to licensed cabs in London) is not a question to
which we will have an answer soon. The London Evening Standard
reports that proceedings brought by Transport for London for a
declaration have been placed on hold because the Licensed Taxi Drivers'
Association has started private prosecutions in the magistrates' court.
Given that an appeal from the magistrates' court would go to the High
Court anyway, this might just be a circuitous route to the same place -
an unfortunate analogy, in the circumstances, but I wrote it without
realising that and should let it stand: but I can make the metaphor a
little more complicated by speculating that taxi drivers often know less
direct but faster routes to their destination. However, here it seems
to be a matter of who is in the driving seat: the LTDA understandably
wonder whether TfL are sufficiently impartial, given that their legal
action seeks a declaration that their decision (that Uber is not a
taximeter) was correct.
No comments:
Post a Comment