Thousands of London private hire drivers who lost their ability to work through no fault of their own have won the right to take their case to a full High Court hearing.
On 25th June, Mr Justice Sweeting granted permission for a judicial review in the case of Mugabo v Transport for London. The landmark challenge asks a simple but vital question: does TfL have a duty to decide renewal applications before a driver’s existing licence expires?
Mr Julius Mugabo, a licensed driver, applied to renew his licence in advance. But TfL failed to make a decision before his old licence ran out. For five months, he was unable to work lawfully. He exhausted his savings, fell into debt, and struggled to pay his mortgage and rent.
Although TfL eventually renewed his licence in August 2025, Mr Mugabo continued his claim to challenge the wider systemic issues affecting thousands of other drivers.
The Court found it arguable that Parliament intended TfL to run a system that processes renewals ‘timeously’ – in enough time to avoid interrupting a person’s right to work. The judge also noted the law has no mechanism to keep a licence valid while a renewal is pending.
Permission was also granted on a second ground: that TfL’s published policies may create a “legitimate expectation” that applications submitted early and correctly will be decided before expiry. Whether that expectation exists, and whether TfL breached it, will be decided at the full hearing.
The Independent Workers’ Union of Great Britain (IWGB), which supports private hire drivers, says Mr Mugabo’s experience is not unique. They have been contacted by hundreds of drivers reporting similar problems – from lost applications and repeated document requests to prolonged medical reviews.
At least 17,000 drivers were left unable to work after their licences expired while renewals were outstanding. Many faced repossession of their vehicles, the very tools of their trade. Even after getting their licences back, drivers worked extended hours to recover lost earnings.
If successful, the case could force TfL to adopt a new renewal process, ensuring that drivers who do everything right are not left stranded while waiting for a decision. The case will now proceed to a substantive hearing, with the potential to establish important principles for London’s entire private hire licensing regime.
Photo: Anouk van Ravenhorst
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