TfL Licensing Delays Push London Private-Hire Drivers Into Debt

Transport for London (TfL) is facing criticism over prolonged licensing delays that have left hundreds of private-hire drivers struggling financially. According to the Independent Workers' Union of Great Britain (IWGB), many drivers for ride-hailing services such as Uber and Bolt have been unable to work for months while waiting for their licence renewals, pushing them into debt.

The union states that over 500 drivers have been affected, with some forced to take out loans to cover essential expenses like mortgages and car payments. Despite applying for licence renewals well in advance and paying the required fees, these drivers have been left without a source of income. TfL has acknowledged the delays, attributing them to system issues and the lingering effects of a cyberattack that disrupted operations last year.

A private-hire driver, Kambiz Hemati, shared his struggles, highlighting the financial toll of the delays. Hemati, who has been in the industry for 12 years, has already spent £1,800 on medical tests, a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check, and TfL fees, yet he remains unable to work.

Hemati said:

"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 must renew their licences every three years. However, the IWGB claims that if a renewal is not processed before the current licence expires, drivers are left unable to work, often with no clear timeline for resolution. The union has accused TfL of failing to address the backlog effectively, despite repeated warnings about the impact on drivers’ livelihoods.

TfL has responded to the criticism, acknowledging the delays and stating that steps are being taken to resolve outstanding cases. A spokesperson for TfL explained the measures being implemented.

The spokesperson stated:

"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 noted that while most drivers have not been impacted, some have experienced delays due to missing or additional information being required for their applications.

The union, however, argues that the issue remains unresolved for many drivers. While TfL has made efforts to expedite urgent cases, including fast-tracking 70 licences after a recent meeting with the union, many drivers are still waiting with no clear resolution in sight.