Uber Wins Ruling That London Taxi Claims Were Filed Too Late

A London High Court judge ruled Oct. 19 that two taxi claims seeking about £340 million from Uber were filed too late, dealing a legal setback to claimants seeking lost earnings.

Nearly 13,300 London black cab drivers sought about £199 million. A separate claimant who acquired the rights to sue from two former private hire companies sought £141 million. The claims were filed on May 2 and June 24, 2024.

The claimants alleged that Uber misled Transport for London (TfL), the city’s transport regulator, about its booking system. They said they lost earnings as Uber competed for business from mid-2012 to March 14, 2018. Uber denied the allegations.

The judge found that the claimants could have discovered grounds for their cases more than six years before the first lawsuit was filed. Both claims therefore fell outside the legal deadline. The judgment says dismissal follows from that finding, but does not set out a separate dismissal order or decide whether the alleged misconduct occurred.