TFL Revoke 352 PH Drivers Licences After BBC Investigation, But Fail To Revoke Uber

Transport for London (TfL) has banned hundreds of minicab drivers on the back of an investigation into schools fraudulently offering licences.

It was revealed in November that the transport regulator was investigating Vista Training Solutions in Newham and all other centres offering Business and Technology Education Council (Btec) diplomas that can be used to gain private hire vehicle licences.

A BBC London TV News investigation found Vista was giving out licences for a £500 fee, without actually testing the participants.

It prompted a TfL investigation into 2,000 potentially fraudulent minicab drivers.

TfL has now revoked 352 minicab licences, shut down the offending Vista Trainining Solutions and is preparing to ban other private centres from offering licences.

Helen Chapman, TfL’s director of licensing, regulation and charging, said: “We have now revoked the licences of 143 drivers who obtained certificates through Vista Training Solutions and rejected the 209 pending applications using certificates from the compromised college.”

Minicab drivers must complete several requirements – passing topographical tests, medical checks and criminal record checks – with TfL before gaining a private hire vehicle licence.

However, doing the course through a private Btec college or centre was a way around this.

Chapman said it was now phasing this loophole out, after TfL’s investigation.

“The most robust and relevant topographical tests are our own assessments,” she said.

“To eliminate the risk of fraudulent topographical certificates being used as a way to avoid our assessments, we will remove this exemption after February.”

The change comes just a week after TfL banned Uber for harbouring unlicensed and uninsured drivers in a “pattern of failures” around passenger safety.

It was found that these unlicensed and uninsured drivers had taken about 14,000 trips recently.

The investigation also revealed that drivers banned by Uber were making new accounts and still using the platform.

TAXI LEAKS EXTEA BIT: 
With another 352 unqualified drivers joining the ranks of Uber, the question begs to be asked ...”if TfL can revoke the PH drivers licenses with no continuance should they appeal, under public safety issues.... why didn’t TfL revoke and banned  Uber outright, instead of just refusing to renew their already extended licence to operate in London?”

Typically the BBC is making much about the drivers licenses being revoked after their inside out program, yet have not made any statement about Uber being fully revoked... again WHY?

Why did it take the BBC to investigate this issue, why wasn’t TfL in the case?