Transport for London has had their appeal hearing granted even though the judge stated that they had no right of appeal.
During the summing up Mrs Justice Lang REFUSED TfL Leave To Appeal but allowed a Stay of 21 days.
She also ordered that:
- The A10 Order (Bishopsgate Bus Corridor) is quashed
- The Streetspace Plan is quashed
- The Streetspace Guidance is quashed
- That the defendants pay the claimants’ costs.
- The amount of costs has yet to be decided)
The case succeeded on four of the five grounds advanced on behalf of the taxi trade:
- In the Streetspace Plan and subsequent Guidance, the Mayor and TfL respectively failed to distinguish the special status of taxis from “general traffic”, neither taking into account the distinct status of taxis as a form of public transport nor the travel needs of those who rely on accessible taxis.
- The Mayor and TfL failed to have proper regard to their Public Sector Equality Duties under Section 149 of the Equalities Act 2010.
- The Plan, Guidance and the A10 Order unlawfully breached licensed taxi drivers’ “legitimate expectation” of being permitted to use bus lanes to ply for hire effectively as a vital part of London’s integrated public transport network.
- The treatment of taxis in the Plan, Guidance and the Order and the decisions to exclude them were “seriously flawed” and “irrational”.
In a tweet UTAG stated:
“TFL have been granted an appeal and we will be consulting with our legal team asap and give further updates as appropriate”.
