Analysis · Driver Rights
Who speaks for London’s PHV drivers?
Four organisations claim to represent London’s 110,000 licensed private hire drivers. We put three questions to each. Here is what they said — and what their silence reveals.
London’s 110,000 licensed PHV drivers face three simultaneous crises. Diesel approaching 200p per litre. A 20% VAT on fares suppressing passenger demand. And Waymo targeting full commercial deployment in London by September 2026 with no displacement impact assessment and no worker protection.
When a driver asks who is fighting for them, they are told to look to the unions. So we asked.
London Drivers Voice contacted GMB, ADCU, Unite, and the LTDA on 29 April 2026 with the same three questions and the same deadline. Each was told their response would be published in full.
The four organisations
| Organisation | Type | Platform deal | Primary constituency | Responded? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GMB | Trade union | Uber recognition deal | PHV drivers | Partial |
| ADCU | Trade union | None | PHV / gig workers | No response |
| Unite | Trade union | None | Hackney carriage | No response |
| LTDA | Trade association | None | Black cab drivers | Full response |
Q1: Fuel costs
Diesel is approaching 200p per litre — up from 143p before the Iran conflict. Over £1,400 in additional annual costs for a typical driver. What specific demands have you made of platforms since February 2026?
The LTDA noted that cumulative cost pressures on London drivers represent a structural problem requiring regulatory intervention, not platform negotiation.
“I believe that our public press releases and online updates to members over the course of the past months should provide enough background to answer the questions posed by your publication.”
— Eamon O’Hearn, GMB National Officer, 1 May 2026
Did not respond before the deadline. This article will be updated if a response is received.
Did not respond before the deadline. This article will be updated if a response is received.
Q2: The 20% VAT
The 20% VAT introduced in January 2026 has suppressed passenger demand. A survey by The Taxi Insurer found 70% of passengers said they would reduce or stop using PHVs. What is your position and what action have you taken?
Confirmed the current VAT regime represents an unfair burden on the private hire sector. Response: “Yes.”
Directed London Drivers Voice to public press releases rather than addressing the VAT question directly.
Did not respond before the deadline.
Did not respond before the deadline.
Q3: Autonomous vehicles
Waymo targets September 2026. No displacement assessment. No transition fund. No equivalent licensing standard for AV operators. What is your position and what are you demanding from government and TfL?
“The regulations that currently apply to PH drivers and Vehicles should be the minimum standards that any AV operators, vehicles and controllers [must meet]. London is a unique environment and AV are not currently advanced or intelligent enough to be allowed to operate without a safety driver.”
— LTDA, responding to London Drivers Voice, 29 April 2026
“London is a unique environment and AV are not currently advanced or intelligent enough to be allowed to operate without a safety driver.”
LTDA, responding to London Drivers Voice · 29 April 2026
Did not address the autonomous vehicle question. Directed London Drivers Voice to existing public statements.
Did not respond before the deadline.
Did not respond before the deadline.
What the responses tell us
The LTDA — a black cab trade association that does not formally represent PHV drivers — gave the most substantive response of any organisation contacted. Their positions on AV regulation and licensing standards are directly relevant to 110,000 PHV drivers they do not claim to speak for.
GMB holds a formal recognition deal with Uber and has the largest PHV driver membership of any union. They declined to answer any question specifically. A GMB National Officer directed this publication to public press releases on fuel and taxation that our research could not locate in publicly available GMB communications specific to London PHV drivers since February 2026.
ADCU and Unite — the two unions most vocally associated with driver rights campaigns — did not respond at all.
Drivers are entitled to draw their own conclusions.
Take action now
A Parliament petition forces the government to officially respond to AV deployment at 10,000 signatures. Deadline: 17 June 2026.
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