Following Massive Protests, London Transport Authority Rules Uber Is Legal The decision hinged upon a differentiation between traditional taxicab meters and the smartphone technology by which Uber charges passengers.
By Geoff Weiss
Opinions expressed by BIZ Experiences contributors are their own.
In the face of swelling protests by European taxi drivers, London's transport regulation authority ruled today that ride-sharing service Uber can continue to operate legally in the U.K. capital.
From London to Madrid to Milan to Paris, cab drivers have orchestrated strikes aimed to clog major thoroughfares, alleging that Uber does not comply with local regulations or pay enough taxes in the cities where it operates.
In London specifically, for instance, only licensed black taxis are legally allowed to charge customers via meters that track distance and time. British cabbies claim Uber is in flagrant violation of this law.
But in its decision, local regulator Transport for London explained that the smartphone technology by which Uber charges customers has "no operational or physical connection with the vehicles" and thus does not signify "taximeters within the meaning of the legislation," according to The New York Times.
Following this decision, the case will be sent to a British court for a final ruling.
