(a) how many private hire drivers have had their PHV licence (1) revoked or (2) suspended for being an illegal immigrant from July 2016 to July 2017? (b) how many of these were working for Uber?

---

TfL Ref: FOI-0904-1718

Thank you for your email received on 14 July 2017 asking for information about private hire drivers.

Your request has been considered in accordance with the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act and our Information Access Policy. I can confirm that we hold some of the information you require. You asked:

“(a) how many private hire drivers have had their PHV licence:

(1) revoked or,

(2) suspended for being an illegal immigrant from July 2016 to July 2017?

(b) how many of these were working for Uber?”

In order to become licensed as a private hire driver, applicants must provide evidence of their right to live and work in the UK. We work closely with the Home Office and have an embedded Home Office officer who works with us to ensure that all licensed drivers have the appropriate right to work. For drivers whose leave to remain in the UK is time-limited, Transport for London will only grant a licence for the period for which they are entitled to work in the UK.

Between July 2016 and July 2017 we revoked 18 private hire driver licences as they were unable to provide evidence that their limited right to work in the UK had been extended. These licences had been correctly issued in accordance with our rules and regulations and the decision to revoke the licences was based on checks carried out with the Home Office; no operator was involved in any licensing decision.

No licences were suspended in this period as our policy is to issue shorter term licences to applicants who have time restrictions on their right to work in the UK.

Of the 18 drivers, 10 worked for the private hire operator Uber London Limited at some point between July 2016 and July 2017. Noting that drivers can work for several operators, either concurrently, or during the period they are licensed for.

Further details can be found by visiting our website www.tfl.gov.uk/tph.

Please see the attached information sheet for details of your right to appeal as well as information on copyright and what to do if you would like to re-use any of the information we have disclosed.

If this is not the information you are looking for, or if you are unable to access it for some reason, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Yours sincerely

Lee Hill

Senior FOI Case Officer

FOI Case Management Team

General Counsel

Transport for London

Back to top

---