TfL licence delay payments not enough, union says

A "goodwill payment" announced by Transport for London (TfL) to compensate taxi and private-hire vehicle (PHV) drivers affected by licensing delays is "nowhere near enough", a trade union has said.

TfL apologised and said a glitch in the introduction of new licensing software meant renewals for hundreds of drivers, including those for ride-hailing apps like Uber and Bolt, were delayed and they were kept off the road without an income.

Eligible drivers could receive a one-off payment between £300 and £500 depending on their circumstances.

The App Drivers and Couriers Union (ACDU) said some of its members ended up homeless and that it would push for "£500 for every week a driver has had to wait".

TfL said the majority of drivers were not affected because licences are renewed on a three-year cycle, but acknowledged some drivers who had to renew during the affected period experienced delays and disruption.

Eligible taxi drivers will receive £300 and PHV drivers £310, reflecting a refund of their application and licence grant fees.

Drivers who were without a licence for more than seven days will receive an enhanced payment of £500.

A TfL spokesperson said: "We're sorry that some drivers who attempted to renew their licences last year experienced disruption and delays.

"To recognise the impact that these issues have had on drivers, we are introducing a one-off goodwill payment scheme for those who meet the specific criteria."

Eligible drivers will not need to apply and will be contacted directly and paid by cheque.

The GMB, which says it is the largest union representing taxi and private-hire drivers, welcomed the scheme.

Steve Garelick, an organiser for the union, said the payment scheme "will go some way to addressing the financial impact of the licensing delays".

He added: "We would like to thank TfL for working constructively with us, first to deal with the delays and now to provide a goodwill payment."

However, a spokesperson for the ACDU said: "The so-called goodwill payment of £500 is nowhere near enough to compensate drivers for the suffering they have endured as a result of these delays."

The union said some of its members had to wait months for their licences to be renewed, with some having their cars repossessed.

BBC News reported last April on the impact of the delays on drivers.

Uber driver Abdullahi, who did not want to give his surname, said he had been made homeless after TfL failed to renew his private-hire licence. Without an income, he said he fell behind on rent payments and was evicted.

"This is our livelihoods, it's how we support our families," he said.

The ACDU spokesperson said that while the union would push for £500 for every week drivers had to wait, for some members "even that wouldn't be enough" to make up for what happened.

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