London cab drivers are rebelling against the city for what they believe is lax bylaw enforcement against Uber.
Taxi industry officials announced on Monday that each of their 450 taxi and limousines will not pay the annual $750 license renewal fees for 2017. The move will cost the city roughly $337,000 in lost revenue.
"We want these members of council to understand our plight and the way we have to do it is to hit them in the pocketbook," says Roger Caranci, London Taxi Association spokesman.
Speaking at a news conference in front of city hall, Caranci stressed that, up until this point, cabbies have been well behaved while the city turned a blind eye to Uber's illegal activity.
"We're frustrated, it's been over a year and we can't keep going on this way with uncertainty," says Caranci. "You have to remember that city council asked Uber on three separate occassions to stop operating until they were regulated and Uber thumbed their nose at a legitimately elected government that sets rules and regulations and the city allowed them to continue doing that."
The ride-sharing app that connects drivers with those in the same area looking for a ride arrived in London in July 2015. It's arrival enraged cab drivers who under city bylaws must undergo a training exam, provide a criminal background check, a ministry drivers abstract, and a medical certificate.
"If the city wants to charge us, we are very easy to find," says Caranci. "There have been only 55 charges that have been laid against thousands upon thousands of rides that Uber drivers have given to people in the city of London. That is totally unfair."
Caranci's claim of 55 charges hasn't been confirmed by officials at city hall.
At least one city councillor calls the protest a mistake.
"It's getting us into a worse place than we were in yesterday," says Councillor Jesse Helmer. "As we are coming closer to how we're going to modernize those bylaws in October, that's when we are going to have a public participation meeting on this issue, it has really set things back and frankly increase the work load for our enforcement staff."
Helmer, who has been called out by the taxi industry as being a blind Uber follower, was quick to say he frequently takes London taxis.
"What I am is pro-smart regulation that's actually effective and recognizing when things in the world change that we need to regulate differently and be effective in how we're doing that," says Helmer. "I think because I'm open minded and willing to entertain changes, it sounded like I'm some kind of pro-Uber person and that's not the case."
Taxi license renewals are due at the end of October.
A public participation meeting surrounding taxi bylaw regulations is slated for October 13.