This week's top 3 stories: New UK regulations for taxis, private hire and ride hailing, new restrictions on app-based ride hailing in Poland, and over 8,000 electric scooters are coming to the streets of Madrid.
1. UK Government promises new regulations for taxi, private hire and ride hailing
This week the UK Government published its response to the recommendations made in a report by an independent expert panel called the Task and Finish Group on Taxi and Private Hire Vehicle Licensing. The Government has promised a number of pieces of new legislation to introduce new regulatory measures, especially relating to safety, and in the meantime is consulting on new statutory guidance for local licensing authorities. Further details are in our blog post, where you can also download our full briefing on the Government's new proposals.
2. Polish Government to introduce new rules for ride hailing
Poland's governing Law and Justice Party (PiS) will propose new rules which may make it more difficult for ride hailing companies to operate. Infrastructure Minister Andrzej Adamczyk has announced that he will be re-introducing a law which the Government had postposed over four years ago. The law seeks to address perceived unfairness in competition between ride hailing and taxi drivers and will take the form of an amendment to an existing transport law. It will introduce new requirements for drivers who work via mobile applications, including that they undergo medical examinations. The proposal will reportedly be submitted to Parliament in March and is expected to become law by June assuming there are no obstacles in the legislative process.
3. Madrid City Council issues electric scooter licences to 18 companies
Madrid City Council has authorised 18 different electric scooter operators to launch in the city. A total of 8,610 scooters will become available across all of the districts of Madrid. Operators are obliged to provide user and third party insurance and to include technology which prevents trips from starting or finishing in areas where electric scooters are not permitted. They are also obliged to collect scooters daily and redistribute them throughout the areas where they are licensed to operate. Taxify, Mobike and Jump are amongst those who have been granted licences.
This is a weekly note from Inline Policy's Mobility Policy and Regulation Team, it covers the top three developments in the regulation of on-demand transport in Europe. It covers taxis, ride-sharing, car sharing, carpooling, bikes, e-bikes, scooters, shared mopeds and anything else that's relevant to the sector. If you'd like to receive this direct to your inbox then please enter your email address below:
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