Uber Technologies (NYSE:UBER) said on Monday that it had successfully secured the dismissal of two lawsuits seeking approximately £340 million ($453 million) in damages over allegations concerning its private hire vehicle operating licence in London.
The legal actions were brought in 2024 by thousands of London black cab drivers and two former private hire companies.
The claimants alleged that Uber had provided misleading information to Transport for London (TfL) when applying for authorisation to operate private hire services in the British capital.
Uber denied the allegations and argued that the claims had been filed outside the applicable six-year statutory limitation period.
The High Court accepted Uber’s position, according to the company.
Claims Concerned Information Provided to Transport for London
The lawsuits centred on allegations about information submitted by Uber during the process of obtaining its London private hire vehicle operating licence.
The claimants accused the company of supplying “misleading and inaccurate information” to Transport for London, the authority responsible for regulating private hire operators in the capital.
Thousands of licensed black cab drivers participated in the legal actions, alongside two businesses that had previously operated in the private hire market.
The combined value of the claims was approximately £340 million.
Uber contested the allegations and maintained that the legal proceedings should not continue because they had been initiated after the relevant limitation period had expired.
High Court Accepts Uber’s Limitation Argument
The central issue addressed by the High Court was whether the claims had been brought within the time permitted under the applicable legal rules.
Uber argued that the proceedings were subject to a six-year limitation period and that the claimants had filed their cases too late.
The court ruled in favour of Uber’s position, resulting in the dismissal of both lawsuits.
The decision means that the claims cannot proceed in their existing form following the High Court’s ruling.
However, dismissal on limitation grounds does not necessarily establish whether the underlying allegations about information provided to TfL were accurate.
A copy of the court’s judgment was not immediately available, limiting the details that could be confirmed about the court’s reasoning.
Decision Removes Two Claims Against Uber
The ruling concerns two separate legal actions with a combined claimed value of approximately £340 million.
The claims related to Uber’s authorisation to provide private hire services in London, where the company operates alongside traditional black cabs and other licensed private hire businesses.
The High Court’s decision removes the immediate litigation exposure associated with these proceedings, subject to any subsequent legal developments.
The information released did not indicate whether the claimants intend to seek permission to appeal.
Uber has maintained its rejection of the allegations throughout the proceedings.
Further Details Await Publication of Judgment
The outcome represents a procedural resolution of the two lawsuits based on the limitation argument advanced by Uber.
The available information does not establish that the High Court made a substantive determination concerning the accuracy of Uber’s representations to Transport for London.
Further details about the legal reasoning, any costs orders and potential appeal options may become available when the written judgment is published.
For now, Uber has confirmed that both claims, collectively seeking approximately £340 million in damages, have been dismissed.