TfL conducts just one Gatwick Airport PHV licensing operation in 2024 despite out-of-town Uber concerns

Transport for London (TfL) licensing officers have conducted just one licensing operation in 2024 at Gatwick Airport, despite concerns being raised among locally licensed cabbies about the influx of out-of-town Uber drivers.

Crawley Borough Council has urged the Government to take action against TfL licensed Uber drivers operating at Gatwick, accusing them of evading local licensing regulations. The council continues to investigate complaints from local private hire vehicle operators who claim they are losing business to Uber, which they argue has an unfair advantage.

Members of the council's licensing committee recently voted unanimously to escalate the issue. Chairman Imran Ashraf confirmed plans to write to the Department for Transport (DfT), TfL, and Gatwick Airport to address the problem of out-of-town Uber drivers.

Data from a TfL Freedom of Information request revealed that four joint enforcement operations were carried out in the vicinity of Gatwick Airport in the last 12 months. Notably, just one of these operations has occurred in 2024.

Unite the Union has been at the forefront of protests against Gatwick Airport's support for Uber, including the creation of dedicated Uber bays. They argue that Uber's presence undermines Crawley's local private hire services by bypassing local licensing rules.

This regulatory loophole has led to a surge of London-based Uber cars in Crawley, intensifying competition for local drivers. Both the council and the union assert that this situation harms the local economy, which depends heavily on Gatwick Airport.