Request ID: FOI-0017-1920 Date published: 24 April 2019
You asked
At the London Assembly Transport Committee meeting on Tuesday 13 November 2018, London Assembly member David Kurten asked the questionn of Director of Licensing, Regulation & Charging, Helen Chapman;
Do you consider app operators to be plying for hire or pre-booked?
Ms Chapman replied “they are pre-booked”
Given Ms Chapman’s current and previous positions as General Manger & Deputy Director of London Taxi & Private Hire I would assume she would have been given legal advice in order to provide such an answer
I would be obliged if you could supply me copies of that said advice
We answered
Our Ref: FOI-0017-1920
Thank you for your request received on 29 March 2019 asking for information about legal advice given regarding taxi app operators.
Your request has been considered in accordance with the requirements of the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act and our information access policy. You asked for:
We do not hold the information you have requested. Helen Chapman’s response was in relation to private hire operators whose operating model includes the use of smart phone apps. It is a legal requirement that any private hire journey needs to be pre-booked with a destination recorded before the journey starts and that bookings must be accepted by licensed operators at licensed premises. No specific legal advice on this question was provided to Helen Chapman in preparation for the London Assembly Transport Committee meeting.
Please see the attached information sheet for details of your right to appeal.
Yours sincerely
Gemma Jacob
Senior FOI Case Officer
FOI Case Management Team
General Counsel
Transport for London
