Taxi drivers protest outside Crawley Council town hall over ongoing cross-border Gatwick Airport concerns
Crawley Borough Council reassured taxi drivers they are seeking legal advice over Uber’s operations at Gatwick Airport, amid growing tensions with local taxi drivers and claims of unfair competition.
On 11 December, Gatwick taxi drivers demonstrated outside the town hall, urging the council to enforce its taxi licensing laws more robustly. Drivers say under current regulations, drivers must hold a licence from Crawley Council to operate within the borough, including at the airport.
Concerns have been mounting since May 2024, when Unite regional officer Dominic Rothwell criticised Gatwick Airport’s partnership with Uber, calling it a “race to the bottom” for working conditions. Rothwell urged Crawley Council to take decisive action against Uber and the airport, accusing them of undermining local operators by enabling London-licensed Uber drivers to pick up fares at Gatwick. He also called for stricter enforcement to curb cross-border hiring, which he said disadvantages locally licensed drivers.
Recent data highlights the scale of the issue. Crawley Council has licensed 590 private hire vehicle (PHV) drivers, but Transport for London (TfL) data reveals an additional 531 TfL-licensed drivers residing in RH postcodes, including Gatwick Airport. Of these, 300 are based in Crawley’s RH10 and RH11 areas.
TfL did however conduct a compliance patrol at Gatwick on 29 July 2024 to ensure vehicles and drivers operating under its licence adhere to safety and regulatory standards.
The inspection, carried out by five TfL officers, reviewed 32 vehicles and their drivers. It uncovered six breaches, including two cases of illegal tyre wear, two vehicles without the required ‘No Smoking’ signs, and two using unapproved CCTV systems.
Although Gatwick Airport lies outside London, TfL is responsible for ensuring that its licensed vehicles comply with regulations, even when operating beyond the capital. Regular patrols at high-traffic locations such as Gatwick help TfL uphold safety standards, particularly in cross-border hiring cases.
Back in May 2024, 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.”
