It could be the biggest shake-up of the modern Private Hire industry when the High Court decide if smartphones can be used as taximeters within the sector.
Transport for London, the taxi body LTDA, Uber, and the private hire body LPHCA are asking the High Court to make a declaration on whether smartphones, used by some private hire drivers, can be used to calculate fares.
The case, to be heard on 5 and 6 October 2015, sees the High Court asked to make a declaration on whether GPS technology and a connection to external servers for the calculation of fares, comply with the law on taximeters, which are prohibited in private hire vehicles in London.
The rapid pace at which smartphone-based technology has developed in recent years has led to a need for clarity about what is required in order for apps to comply with the regulatory framework in London, to ensure there is a level playing field for all operators.
TfL’s view, on balance, is that the smartphones are not taximeters but that there are clearly arguments to the contrary and there is a significant public interest in resolving the matter definitively. When a judgment is given TfL will apply the law as declared by the High Court.
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