Private hire drivers at Gatwick Airport, backed by Unite the union, are staging a protest on the 9th October at the South Terminal roundabout, claiming that Uber is destroying local livelihoods by exploiting loopholes in taxi licensing laws.
According to Unite, London-registered Uber vehicles are operating in Crawley and collecting passengers from Gatwick Airport without being subject to Crawley Borough Council’s licensing conditions, which local drivers say are much stricter.
‘Race to the bottom’
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham accused Gatwick Airport of “partnering with a race-to-the-bottom firm like Uber, which is destroying local livelihoods and damaging Crawley’s economy.”
She added:
“Unite will not rest until Gatwick takes action to address our members’ concerns. The government must close the loopholes in legislation — Uber’s sidestepping of local licensing laws is hurting workers and putting passengers at risk across the country.”
The union is also urging ministers to implement the 2020 Casey Report recommendations, which called for stronger powers for councils to regulate taxi and private hire operations.
Council And Company Responses
Crawley Borough Council previously dismissed a similar complaint in March 2025, stating after legal review that there was “no wrongdoing” and that drivers’ claims “lacked any legal substance.” Unite and local drivers rejected that conclusion.
A London Gatwick Airport spokesperson said the airport “recognises the importance of fair competition” and explained that their official taxi partner, Airport Cars, operates from designated bays outside both terminals, while Uber and other private hire vehicles use specific pick-up zones.
Meanwhile, an Uber spokesperson maintained that the company “operates according to the high standards set across the industry and abides by the same regulations as all other private hire operators,” adding this was “supported by a thorough independent review by Crawley Borough Council.”
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