UBER UPDATE ‘AN INSULT’: DRIVERS UNION SLAMS
The ADCU has hit out at TfL following the announcement of a £500 “goodwill payment” for private hire drivers hit by catastrophic licensing delays. The union dismissed the sum as “too little, too late,” claiming it fails to address the financial ruin faced by thousands of workers. The compensation offer follows months of systemic failures triggered by a September 2024 cyberattack, which left many drivers unable to work while waiting for licence renewals. The ADCU argues the crisis has been compounded by “over-licensing” within the sector. ADCU President, Cristina- Georgiana Ioanitescu, reacted sharply to the figure, stating: “£500 does not even cover one week of repayments on a typical rent-to- buy or PCP vehicle contract. “For many drivers who have been
TfL’S £500 PAYOUT OVER LICENSING CHAOS unable to work
for months
because TfL failed to renew their licences on time, this amount is meaningless.”
The union highlighted that while drivers were sidelined through no fault of their own, their fixed costs - including expensive vehicle financing and insurance
-
continued to mount. According to the ADCU, the delay in government action has led to extreme consequences for its members. The union claims it was only after they took the issue to the media that TfL agreed to issue temporary licences in March 2025. The union described the payout as a “token gesture” that ignores the gravity of the situation: l Massive income loss: drivers reportedly lost tens of thousands of pounds during the blackout periods.
l Debt & repossession: many have
had vehicles seized or are currently facing court action from leasing companies.
l Systemic failure: the union warns that without addressing over-licensing, these problems are “only set to get worse.” The ADCU is now demanding that TfL move beyond “sticking plaster” solutions and negotiate a compensation scheme that reflects actual losses. “This doesn’t touch the sides of the financial and emotional damage caused,” Ioanitescu added. “Drivers have lost tens of thousands of pounds in income, been pushed into debt, had their cars taken away... Calling this compensation is an insult.” The union continues to lobby both TfL and the DfT for a settlement that accounts for the full scale of the “financial and emotional damage” inflicted on the workforce.
ISRAEL SET TO DISRUPT TAXI MONOPOLY AS BILL TO WELCOME UBER AND LYFT ADVANCES
Israel has moved a significant step closer to opening its roads to global ride-hailing giants Uber and Lyft, following the approval of a landmark bill by the Ministerial Committee for Legislation. The proposed legislation seeks to dismantle a long-standing taxi monopoly by regulating phone- based applications that connect private drivers with passengers. While the bill must still pass several readings in the Knesset, it signals a major shift in the nation’s transport policy, aiming to lower
PHTM FEBRUARY 2026
costs and increase service. “Our vision is to move Israel into an era of smart,
accessible, and
affordable transportation,” said Transportation Minister Miri Regev. “Approval of the bill is a historic step that will dismantle old monopolies, reduce road con- gestion, create thousands of new jobs, and open the market to real competition that will lower the cost of living.”
The bill is not without safeguards. To address safety and fairness, the Transportation Ministry has
included strict regulations regarding: l Driver screening/passenger safety l Comprehensive insurance cover- age
l Regular monitoring of vehicle conditions
Recognising the “fierce oppo- sition” from the local taxi sector - which successfully lobbied against such services for years - the legislation includes a compens- ation mechanism to
support
existing drivers through the transition.
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