The High Court has ruled that Uber is not breaking the law in regard to current taxi legislations through its use of an app to work out the price of rides, according to The Guardian.
The case revolved around a ruling on taximeters, which only licensed black-cab and minicab drivers are allowed to use.
The news will be welcomed by many of London’s residents, around a million of which use the service – roughly 130,000 signed a petition calling for Uber to be allowed to continue to operate.
Unsurprisingly, the Licensed Taxi Drivers Association (LTDA) wasn’t best pleased with the High Court’s decision, describing the law as “an ass.”
The law really is an Ass! It uses time & distance to calculate fare and it's not a meter????
— The LTDA (@TheLTDA) October 16, 2015
The 💜 of EU tech
The latest rumblings from the EU tech scene, a story from our wise ol' founder Boris, and some questionable AI art. It's free, every week, in your inbox. Sign up now!
The organisation also says it s lodging an appeal with the Supreme Court.
However, that’s not the end of Uber’s woes in the UK capital as it also faces scrutiny from Transport for London (TfL) on whether additional restrictions should be placed on the service, such as imposing a minimum five-minute pick-up rule. London Mayor Boris Johnson said the company was “systematically” skirting around the law.
In response to today’s ruling, an Uber spokesperson told TNW:
“This is great news for Londoners and a victory for common sense. Now the High Court has ruled in favour of new technology, we hope Transport for London will think again on their bureaucratic proposals for apps like Uber. Compulsory five-minute waits and banning ride-sharing would be bad for riders and drivers. These plans make no sense. That’s why 130,000 people have already signed our petition against these proposals. We hope TfL will listen to Londoners and let Uber keep London moving.”
Your move, TfL.
➤ Uber wins high court case over taxi app [The Guardian]
Get the TNW newsletter
Get the most important tech news in your inbox each week.