Latest news with #RobertDale
The Guardian
04-07-2025
- Automotive
- The Guardian
TfL faces legal action over licence delays for Uber and other private hire drivers
Transport for London is facing an 'unprecedented' legal challenge from the union representing Uber and other minicab drivers over claims that delays in issuing licences have damaged their livelihoods. TfL has previously apologised for delays in licensing but drivers and their union, the Independent Workers' Union of Great Britain (IWGB), say they are launching the legal action because of systemic and continuing problems with licensing for this group of drivers. There are 108,000 private hire drivers in London, many of whom work for Uber. The exact number who have experienced problems with delays in their licences being issued is not known, but according to Alex Marshall, the IWGB's president, the union has a WhatsApp group that includes about 1,000 drivers experiencing licensing problems. Many of these drivers are not high earners and have limited savings, so even a relatively short delay in TfL issuing them with a licence can have a significant financial impact because they require one to legally work in London. Some drivers have reported losing their homes and having their vehicles repossessed as a result of not being able to drive their taxis because of a licensing delay. One driver, Robert Dale, 65, died after suffering a heart attack last November. He was waiting for his licence to be renewed at the time of his death. His family say they believe his death was linked to the delay as he was unable to work and was stressed and anxious. Raifu Akanmu, an Uber driver who applied to renew his licence in January, several months before his previous one was due to expire, is still waiting to receive his new licence and is unable to work as his previous one expired at the end of May. 'I have run out of money to pay my bills,' he said. 'I just keep thinking about how I'm going to survive and support my family. I've been a driver for 17 years but have never experienced problems like this before. I know so many other Uber drivers who are affected. All we want to do is work.' The union has sent a pre-action letter informing TfL that it is investigating the possibility TfL breached the law in its handling of licence delays. Union officials say thousands of minicab drivers have been unable to work, sometimes for months at a time. Another driver, who gave his name as Lee, said: 'The legal side of things has to happen. The word that keeps popping up is 'accountability'. We have fewer legal rights and protections than many other workers. This legal challenge is a case of drivers in London saying 'no' and 'enough'. 'I had to wait eight months for my licence to be renewed. The licensing process is not fit for purpose.' Marshall said: 'The drivers are predominantly Uber. I have seen so many lives decimated by this, drivers having to move out of their homes and their cars repossessed. We have instructed lawyers to litigate because we need systemic change.' Ahmed Aydeed of Deighton Pierce Glynn Solicitors, which is bringing the legal challenge against TfL, said: 'TfL is operating an unlawful system by failing to ensure continuity of licensing for private hire drivers. Both IWGB and drivers have bravely teamed up in this unprecedented legal challenge to hold TfL to account. Any public authority and government that strips people of their livelihood is not fit for purpose.' A TfL spokesperson said: 'We are very sorry to drivers who have experienced issues with our processing times of private hire driver licences. 'We have worked with urgency to take a number of steps to mitigate the impact of these delays, including recruiting and training additional staff and granting short-term private hire vehicle driver licences where appropriate. We continue to take every possible step to rectify the delays quickly and ensure that all drivers who meet licensing requirements are licensed and able to work.'
Yahoo
30-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
TfL licence delays 'a matter of life and death'
The family of an Uber driver has said they fear the stress caused by a delay in the renewal of his private hire licence may have contributed to his death. Robert Dale was left unable to work because of the delay - which was due to software problems caused by a cyber attack on Transport for London (TfL) last September. Mr Dale died aged 65 after a heart attack in November, three months after he applied for his licence renewal and a month after it expired. His son believes the day-to-day pressure of the situation reduced his father's quality of life and badly affected his health. The problems caused by the cyber attack meant some drivers were unable to work for months. Some took out loans, and others missed payments on their mortgages. In a recent letter to TfL and the mayor of London, Mr Dale's son Ben Dale said his father wrote numerous emails urging TfL to renew his licence, as its expiry date approached. These emails became increasingly desperate, he said. In his letter, he said it was "a matter of livelihoods, mental health, and in our case, life and death." He said his father had been "happy, popular and dedicated" but there had been a noticeable change in him when he was left unable to work. "Every single day. That is all he talked about. "We started to really feel like we were losing our dad and my mum, her partner, mainly because of the complete stress that he was just consistently under. "It was relentless". TfL is now able to issue temporary licences "where it is appropriate to do so" but private hire drivers are still protesting and want compensation for their financial losses. One driver, Kambiz Hemati, said he was still "up to his neck in debt". He waited four months for his renewal, and described that time as "like hell". "I wasn't working and the costs were piling up." He said he had bought an electric car, as requested by TfL, and was beginning to default on the monthly payments for it as well as his mortgage, and he was worried about his young son. "I had to borrow from banks and use credit cards. "I have to pay that all back and that means more hours and tiredness. This is not the way drivers should be treated." The Dale family believes the "failings of TfL" and the "complete lack of communication and acknowledgement of any wrongdoing" led to Mr Dale's mental health deteriorating. His son said it was difficult to say if the stress Mr Dale was under "was the exact reason" his dad died, but he was "certain the quality of life he had up until his death was significantly worse" because of it. "He was great. Everybody loved him. Always making jokes, trying to make people laugh. He loved people. "He was very inquisitive, always wanted to know how people were doing and just wanted the best for people. "Hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of drivers are going through exactly what my dad went through." Helen Chapman from TfL said they were "carrying out a comprehensive review" and would respond to the Dale family's concerns in full. She added they "were aware some drivers have been further impacted due to the introduction of a new licensing system. "We have taken a number of steps to mitigate the impact of these delays by recruiting and training additional staff and granting short-term private hire vehicle driver licences." A spokesperson for the mayor of London said his "deepest sympathies and thoughts" were with the Dale family and the concerns raised in their letter "would be looked into". Listen to the best of BBC Radio London on Sounds and follow BBC London on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to TfL faces 'ongoing cyber security incident' Private-hire drivers granted temporary TfL licences Private-hire drivers struggling over TfL glitch TfL licence delays leaving drivers in debt - union Transport for London
BBC News
30-05-2025
- Business
- BBC News
TfL licencing delays a 'matter of life and death', family says
The family of an Uber driver has said they fear the stress caused by a delay in the renewal of his private hire licence may have contributed to his Dale was left unable to work because of the delay - which was due to software problems caused by a cyber attack on Transport for London (TfL) last Dale died aged 65 after a heart attack in November, three months after he applied for his licence renewal and a month after it son believes the day-to-day pressure of the situation reduced his father's quality of life and badly affected his health. The problems caused by the cyber attack meant some drivers were unable to work for took out loans, and others missed payments on their a recent letter to TfL and the mayor of London, Mr Dale's son Ben Dale said his father wrote numerous emails urging TfL to renew his licence, as its expiry date emails became increasingly desperate, he said. In his letter, he said it was "a matter of livelihoods, mental health, and in our case, life and death." He said his father had been "happy, popular and dedicated" but there had been a noticeable change in him when he was left unable to work. "Every single day. That is all he talked about. "We started to really feel like we were losing our dad and my mum, her partner, mainly because of the complete stress that he was just consistently under. "It was relentless". TfL is now able to issue temporary licences "where it is appropriate to do so" but private hire drivers are still protesting and want compensation for their financial driver, Kambiz Hemati, said he was still "up to his neck in debt".He waited four months for his renewal, and described that time as "like hell"."I wasn't working and the costs were piling up."He said he had bought an electric car, as requested by TfL, and was beginning to default on the monthly payments for it as well as his mortgage, and he was worried about his young son."I had to borrow from banks and use credit cards. "I have to pay that all back and that means more hours and tiredness. This is not the way drivers should be treated." The Dale family believes the "failings of TfL" and the "complete lack of communication and acknowledgement of any wrongdoing" led to Mr Dale's mental health son said it was difficult to say if the stress Mr Dale was under "was the exact reason" his dad died, but he was "certain the quality of life he had up until his death was significantly worse" because of it. "He was great. Everybody loved him. Always making jokes, trying to make people laugh. He loved people. "He was very inquisitive, always wanted to know how people were doing and just wanted the best for people."Hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of drivers are going through exactly what my dad went through." Helen Chapman from TfL said they were "carrying out a comprehensive review" and would respond to the Dale family's concerns in added they "were aware some drivers have been further impacted due to the introduction of a new licensing system. "We have taken a number of steps to mitigate the impact of these delays by recruiting and training additional staff and granting short-term private hire vehicle driver licences."A spokesperson for the mayor of London said his "deepest sympathies and thoughts" were with the Dale family and the concerns raised in their letter "would be looked into".
