Uber and other private hire drivers face renewed delays and lost income amid TfL licensing problems
- Perry Richardson
- May 13
- 1 min read
Updated: May 14
Private hire drivers are experiencing renewed disruption due to faults in Transport for London’s (TfL) licensing system, with drivers reporting lost income and repeated administrative problems.
According to the GMB Union, which represents the largest group of private hire drivers in the UK, members working for Uber are among those affected. Drivers have successfully uploaded the required documents for private hire vehicle (PHV) licensing, only to find their licence status changed to invalid hours later.
In some cases, drivers attempting to apply for or renew their PHV licences have been repeatedly asked to re-submit the same documents. These repeated requests follow an earlier incident that saw licensing renewals delayed for extended periods.
The GMB has written to Seb Dance, London’s Deputy Mayor for Transport, and Andy Lord, the Commissioner of TfL, urging immediate intervention.
Steve Garelick, GMB Regional Organiser, said: “Our members are extremely upset by this situation. These persistent system failures are directly impacting their ability to work and earn a living.
“As it stands, the system is currently not fit for purpose. We are urging TfL to resolve these ongoing problems and prevent further hardship for our members.”
