Taxi Driver Online

TfL licence delays leaving drivers in debt - union

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c204qpl0gn5o

Hundreds of London drivers for taxi-hailing apps like Uber and Bolt are "drowning in debt and destitution" as a result of prolonged licensing delays at Transport for London (TfL), a trade union says.

The IWGB union, which represents private-hire drivers, says it has already heard from more than 500 drivers affected by the delays.

It says delays at TfL have left some drivers unable to work for months at a time, leading them to take out loans, while others have missed payments on their mortgages.

TfL has apologised for the delays and says it has "experienced some issues which have impacted our processing times, compounding the difficulties we experienced following the cyber incident last year".

'I haven't been able to work'

Kambiz Hemati, a private-hire driver of 12 years who is waiting for his licence renewal, says he has paid £1,800 during the process so far, including for medical tests, a DBS check and the TfL fee.

He says: "I haven't been able to work for over a month.

"With no income I've had to borrow more and more money to keep up with my mortgage payments, my car instalments, my insurance.

"The frustrating thing is that even once TfL finally issues me with a licence, the nightmare won't end there - I'll have to work day and night for months to climb out of the debt I have accrued on account of TfL's disorganisation."

Private-hire drivers in London are required to apply to TfL to renew their licences every four years.

IWGB says if a driver's renewal is not processed before their existing licence expires then "they are forced off the road".

'We apologise'

A TfL spokesperson said: "We take our responsibilities for licensing taxi and private-hire drivers extremely seriously, to ensure the provision of safe taxi and private-hire services for the public.

"We have recently introduced a new licensing system which has delivered a number of benefits to licensees, including the ability to track their applications online.

"We are working closely with our system service provider to rectify any system issues and have increased the number of licensing staff who are processing and issuing licences."

TfL said that while the "vast majority of drivers" had been unaffected, it was "aware that some drivers have been impacted, mainly those where we had requested that the driver provides missing or additional information necessary for making a licensing decision".

The spokesperson said: "This has led to some drivers being unable to continue working. We apologise to any driver that has been affected and are working to resolve any urgent licensing issues."

The union says delays within TfL's licensing operation have meant that even drivers who applied and paid their £310 fee as early as possible, four months in advance, "have now been cut off from their livelihoods for indefinite periods".

After a meeting last week with the transport authority, the union said that TfL had been co-operating to fast-track some of the urgent cases, and that at least 70 drivers had now received their licences as a result, but it added that "far too many drivers have still been left waiting".

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IDFIMH

Don't think there's anything particularly new here, except for the individual case featured


I’m an Uber driver left £2,500 out of pocket because of TfL’s ‘licensing crisis’

https://metro.co.uk/2025/03/27/im-uber- ... -22801015/

A London Uber driver has been locked out of work and forced into debt after his TfL license expired.

More than 500 drivers have been left unable to work after ‘prolonged’ delays in having their licenses renewed by Transport for London, the IWGB Union said.

This is forcing professional drivers into ‘debt and destitution,’ the union, which represents private hire drivers working for Uber and other app companies, said.

One of those drivers is Kabal Singh, 45, from west London, who has been unable to work for a month after his TfL license expired on February 26.

He said he has been forced to borrow £800 from a relative in the desperate situation to afford the basics.

Kabal, who has a teenage son, also cares for his disabled wife.

‘It is really difficult. I’m still waiting and I’m now jobless,’ he told Metro.

He said he is feeling the ‘stress’ and ‘tension every day’ and pleaded with TfL to urgently help him by renewing his permit.

All taxis and private-hire drivers have to get a license from TfL to be allowed to operate in the capital.

Kabal, who has been driving for apps like Uber and Eagle for around six years, said he applied for the license renewal in November last year.

On average, he earns between £2,500-£3,000 a month, but now he has been left scrambling to pay for his son’s tuition fees and ‘so I can pay the electricity bill.’

‘It’s very tough. My wife also needs private physical therapy.’

He said his son needs things, but he has to repeatedly tell him ‘I don’t have any money.’

To make matters worse, his family home was burgled on March 1, which has caused extra stress. Among the stolen items was almost £1,200 of money his son had saved up in a box.

He continued: ‘Why haven’t they sent my license? I’m a hard worker. I don’t like free money.

‘My license is my work.’

Nader Awaad, chair of the IWGB’s private hire driver branch and a driver, said the TfL backlog is causing ‘hundreds of drivers drowning in debt and destitution.’

He called for TfL to issue temporary licenses to all drivers until the backlog is fixed and for the government to ‘address this crisis’ if they were ‘serious about getting people “back to work.”‘

A TfL spokesperson told Metro that processing times are affected by ‘the difficulties we experienced following the cyber incident last year.’

TfL has recently introduced a new licensing system, which has ‘delivered a number of benefits to licensees, including the ability to track their applications online,’ they said.

The number of licensing staff has been increased and TfL is working with its system service provider ‘to rectify any system issues.’

The TfL spokesperson continued: ‘The vast majority of drivers have been unaffected, however we are aware that some drivers have been impacted, mainly those where we had requested that the driver provides missing or additional information necessary for making a licensing decision.

‘This has led to some drivers being unable to continue working. We apologise to any driver that has been affected and are working to resolve any urgent licensing issues.’

'How good are we?' Except for putting people out of work for weeks because we couldn't organise a drink up in a distillery

Of course, things do go wrong, but if they couldn't organise some sort of temporary licence scheme then it's them who should be out of work. But, of course, they never are, no matter what they do wrong

this sounds like a perfect class action against TFL

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lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector

Gosh, who'd have thought of this as a solution - a temporary licence scheme


Update on current taxi and private hire driver licensing
process

https://content.tfl.gov.uk/02-25-tph-no ... l-2025.pdf

This TPH Notice provides an update on the current taxi and private hire vehicle
(PHV) driver licensing process.

On 24 February 2025, we introduced a new taxi and private hire licence processing
software. The software has a dual function: to manage and record the internal
licensing processes; and it also provides an online portal for licensees and
applicants.

The new system will bring many positive benefits for licensees, including the ability
to track their application, the ability to provide licence application materials via the
online portal and the ability to book, and make amendments to, driver assessment
appointments.

Introducing the new software, coupled with the recovery from the cyber incident that
impacted us last year, has led to licensing delays being experienced for some
existing drivers and new applicants. The vast majority of drivers have not been
impacted. However, we are aware of some drivers, particularly those who had
initially submitted an incomplete application (where essential information is missing),
being delayed. It is also taking us longer than usual to process applications from new
applicants.

We recognise the importance of ensuring that existing taxi and PHV drivers are able
to remain licensed and continue to work. We are working hard to reduce delays in
the licensing process and resolve the situation. We are sorry for the inconvenience
this has caused to any driver.

We have taken a number of steps, including increasing the number of staff
processing licence applications and establishing escalation processes with taxi and
private hire driver representative groups. We are also prioritising renewal
applications for existing drivers to reduce the impact on them. We are confident that
these steps will improve licence application processing times and return us to the
previous level of service.

Once again, we apologise for any delays that you experience during this time and
thank you for your patience as we work hard to return the licensing service to its
normal level.

Short-term licences

Transport for London is the licensing authority and regulator for taxi and PHV
services in London. In the discharge of these functions, passenger safety is
considered to be paramount. When licensing an individual or entity it must also
ensure that the applicant meets licensing requirements and is fit to be licensed.

In recognition of the current situation, we will be granting (short-term) PHV driver
licences for a period of three (3) months, where it is appropriate to do so and we are
satisfied that the drivers meet the fit and proper criteria. This is a short-term measure
and will only be valid for existing PHV drivers where all the required information has
been provided in the application and where there are no medical concerns or
adverse information that require further investigation. Drivers are also required to
have passed any mandatory assessments (e.g. SERU and ELR). A further licence
may be granted in the course of this period if we are satisfied that the drivers
continue to meet the fit and proper criteria.

f you are a PHV driver licensee who has submitted a complete renewal application,
and there are no medical concerns or adverse information that require further
investigation, we will be in touch and where appropriate you will be granted a short-
term licence.

We will continue to work with any PHV drivers who have submitted an incomplete
application and in instances where further medical information is required or where
we need to investigate adverse information.

In the case of taxi drivers who have submitted a complete application before expiry
of their current licence, we will ensure they continue to trade pending the
determination of their applications in accordance with legislation.

Providing information in support of an application

It is vital that we can reach the drivers who need our support the most. If you are
submitting information in support of an application via email, please send the
information from the same email address used in your application. Please ensure
you include your licence number and what information the email contains (e.g.
Licence Number 123456 – DVLA Check Code and evidence of DBS Update Service
subscription) in the subject line of your email.

If we have written to you or called you to request additional information, please do so
as soon as you can to help ensure your application is processed quickly.

TPH licence fees

Whilst we focus on resolving these licensing issues, we have deferred the decision
on the annual review of Taxi and Private Hire Licence Fees until the scheduled TfL
Finance Committee meeting in July.

Graham Robinson
General Manager
Licensing and Regulation
Transport for London

8 April 2025

So are TfL saying the so-called best in the world can now work with expired driver's licenses?

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IDFIMH

Sussex, that's precisely how it happen in Scotland, which is why a lot of us are often running around with out-of-date badges and plates

So at least we don't have to worry about the scenario playing out in London and elsewhere at times, and the onus is on the council to get it done and dusted as quickly as possible. But that normally doesn't happen either, but the whole thing just rumbles on...

I’m a simple southerner who thinks you either have a license or you don’t.

There are no grey areas in my view.

Which is why TfL are issuing temporary PH licenses. A very sensible way out of the mess TfL have created for themselves.

What I don’t get is why that sense isn’t being shared with the black cab trade.

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IDFIMH