Crawley Borough Council is exploring legal options over Uber drivers operating from Gatwick Airport without the proper local licences.
Taxi drivers licensed by the council, who operate within the borough including the airport, gathered outside the town hall on Wednesday evening, 11 December, to voice their frustrations and demand that more be done to enforce the borough’s licensing laws.
They claim that Uber cars registered in London are taking a significant portion of airport business, impacting their livelihoods.
Don Barnes, a local driver for Airport Cars and Unite branch secretary, stated that the issue has been ongoing since 2020, with a formal complaint filed with the council's licensing team in March of this year.
Cabinet member for public protection, Yasmin Khan, confirmed that an investigation was launched in June and is currently underway. The council is now seeking legal advice to determine the appropriate course of action.
While officials claim to have provided updates to Unite, Mr. Barnes refuted this claim.
The drivers conducted themselves well during the meeting – even though their mood may not have been helped by one councillor showing up to the town hall in an Uber.
One driver compared the situation at the airport as like "the wild west" and questioned the levels of health and safety being observed.
To applause from his colleagues, the driver said: “We’re all being let down – massively let down.”
Cllr Khan acknowledged the drivers' concerns and promised to follow up with the investigating officers.
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