Agenda item

Questioner’s Name

Name of Councillor Responding

Don Barnes, Driver for Airport Cars Gatwick:

It seems we are here regularly asking the same question about Uber.  We put our complaint into the Council on 19 March this year with the Licensing Department, asking why Uber is allowed to operate at Gatwick. We were told an investigation was going to be held.  We were told the investigation was complete, only to be informed the investigation was going on again due to new evidence.  We’ve had appointments with officers and been told everything we wanted to hear and yet we have to come back, and nothing has happened. This would have been put to a halt if the Licensing Department had completed work in 2020 when it was brought to their attention that Uber were operating at Gatwick.  Therefore, please can anyone please update us what is happening with the situation and Uber operating at Gatwick and in Crawley?

Supplementary-

You mention we’re being updated… I’m afraid we are not. We go to meetings and are given information but we’ve never had an update of where you are legally. We were told 3 months’ ago the Council was going to a KC, but that’s all we’ve been told.

Councillor Y Khan

(Cabinet Member for Public Protection):

Licensing comes under my area of responsibility. In June 2024 the Licensing Committee asked the Council officers to investigate as quickly as possible. I have received confirmation that the investigation has progressed, with the officers exploring all avenues, and they have reviewed the relevant evidence. This includes the additional evidence that was received only last month. Officers are now in the process of seeking legal advice which will determine the next steps. In recent months, officers have provided updates to Unite and Unite will be kept updated as far as it’s possible under the legal process.

All I can say is that legal advice is being sought and I can promise you it is happening. We had evidence coming in as late as November which needed to be reviewed but now legal advice is being obtained and you will be updated.

Nick Venes, Unite Union Rep at

Gatwick Cars:

Good evening, once again we are here and unfortunately, it’s not just one thing with the Licensing Department. I’d like to ask what the relevant information is from the Licensing Department regarding school runs.  We have been told that we can undertake school runs when we had a meeting with officers and they just had to change the operator licence, because apparently, we have a restricted operator’s licence which is obviously nothing to do with us because we are fully licensed private hire drivers within the Crawley borough area.  It should not make a difference what operator we go through to do the school runs. Apparently according to officers, we need to have signage on our vehicle and get rid of the “teal plate” even though the plate stipulates we are licensed by Crawley Borough Council. I don’t think we want to pursue the signage issue as we have already taken Crawley Borough Council to court over that issue and we have a judgement in our favour and therefore we do not need signage on our vehicles, all we need is a roof sign.

We feel we have a restricted private hire badge and other councils for example WSCC allow other operators to pick up on school runs without signage on their vehicles.

Can you please tell me why we cannot do school runs for another operator in Crawley? 

Supplementary –

If this issue is being investigated, is there a timescale please?

Councillor Y Khan

(Cabinet Member for Public Protection):

We are definitely looking into this, and we had discussions recently and we will come back to you on this issue.

I’m afraid I won’t be able to provide you with timescales as I’ll need to consult with officers, but we will come back to you with the information.

Ashley, Langley Green, and a Gatwick Airport Driver:

I appreciate how important health and safety is but if you visit the airport and witness Uber operating there is no health and safety being followed.  Who is in charge of witnessing the health and safety concerns being conducted by Uber and overseeing this issue because TFL are not involved?

Councillor Y Khan

(Cabinet Member for Public Protection):

I will be making a note regarding this and be speaking to officers. However, it is part of the investigation currently underway so we will come back to you with an update.

Mohammed, Gatwick Driver Representative:

Why did you become elected and wish to become Councillors, as witnessed a Councillor using an Uber before tonight’s meeting, which then continued down a no-entry road which was not acceptable. We’ve been discussing health and safety tonight. So please can Councillors do their jobs and resolve this.

The Mayor deemed that a clear question was not asked and in line with the Constitution, an answer was not provided.