High Court rules Uber app does not break the law

The High Court in London has ruled that the GPS-reliant ride-hailing app used by Uber does not break the law.

Uber and Transport for London had argued at a hearing earlier in the month that the app did not quality as a meter, but the Licensed Taxi Drivers Association and London Private Hire Car Association had said it was circumventing the law.

The Uber app sends fare information to the company's servers in California, where the fare is determined before the passenger is charged.

An Uber spokesman said: "This was not a marginal call; it is quite emphatic. In fact, it is contemptuous of the case brought before it.

"Uber will continue going about our business and making sure customers have choice."

In his written testimony, Justice Ouseley said that while the smartphones used by Uber drivers enable fares to be calculated, it’s the drivers and not their cars that are technically “equipped” with the smartphones.

Only black cabs are allowed to use meters, which calculate a journey's time and distance to determine a fare.

Transport for London is currently investigating whether there should be a minimum five-minute wait between Uber passengers ordering a car and being picked up. Other proposals include an English language requirement for drivers, stricter insurance requirements and a topographic exam to test drivers’ navigational skills, similar to the Knowledge taken by black cab drivers.