How many Uber and Lyft drivers are there in London? The number might surprise you

Bylaw officials and constabulary successful London gave retired much than 500 tickets during a month-long information blitz targeting taxis and riseshares, but it mightiness beryllium different fig that stuns Londoners: There are much than 7,500 registered Ubers and Lyfts successful the metropolis — 1 rideshare operator for each 60 people in a metropolis of 450,000.

"We've seen our concern diminution for immoderate clip now, going backmost to the summertime of 2015 erstwhile Uber archetypal started here. The metropolis truly brought this connected themselves erstwhile they didn't acceptable a bounds connected however galore ride-sharing vehicles could beryllium connected the road," said Huruy Woldemicael, the wide manager of Green Taxi, which has pivoted to much accessible cabs to marque up for the diminution successful sedan rides. 

"They'll ne'er person capable resources to show and enforce the vehicle-for-hire bylaw erstwhile determination are truthful galore of these vehicles. And with the ongoing tariff crisis, I presume determination volition beryllium adjacent much occupation losses and much radical wanting to enactment for these ride-sharing apps part-time for other income." 

The extremity of the information crackdown was to enforce rules and marque definite drivers cognize what their ineligible obligations are, London constabulary Sgt. Michael Anderson said. 

The enforcement crackdown saw a full of 47 vehicles for hire inspected by mechanics for safety violations, which builds connected erstwhile enactment done by bylaw enforcement officers successful February to ace down connected amerciable rides.

A ample fig of the infractions were fixed to rideshare drivers, not drivers with cab companies, bylaw officials said. There were 515 provincial offence notices issued during the information initiative, on with 32 licence plates and driver's licences seized.

There are astir 500 cabs and 100 limos successful cognition successful London, successful summation to the 7,500 private rideshare cars, officials said. 

Cabs and limos have to acquisition information checks annually erstwhile their licences are renewed, but they're massively outnumbered by their little regulated counterparts. Rideshare drivers are taxable to information requirements arsenic good nether municipal instrumentality and the rules of the apps they run on.

But Woldemicael worries that the commercialized warfare with the United States and looming recession could unit much radical to get into the rideshare concern for other cash. 

"Right now, determination are 7,500 of them, but there's nary hard cap," helium said. "If there's a recession oregon occupation losses, that fig could creep up to 20,000 overnight. There's thing that's going to halt that fig from growing. Then what volition the metropolis do?" 

The eroding spot successful who takes you from 1 portion of the metropolis to different has a antagonistic effect connected cabbies arsenic well, said Woldemicael. 

"We've ever stressed that determination should beryllium cameras successful each vehicles, much markings to place those who are offering vehicles for prosecute services," helium said. "People consciousness much comfy getting successful a taxi due to the fact that they cognize the marque has existed for rather immoderate time.