British court rules that Uber is legal in setback for London taxi industry

The U.K. High Court ruled today that Uber’s app does not violate the nation’s taxi regulation, handing the ride-hailing service an important regulatory victory.

Earlier this week, London’s transport authority asked the High Court for its opinion on Uber’s legal status. Specifically, the agency wanted to know if the court believed the smartphone app met the legal definition of a “taximeter.”

Taximeters is the device that lets taxis adjust their fare throughout the day based on things like traffic conditions. While it’s legal for taxis to use them, they’re not permitted for “private hire vehicles.”

Uber is considered a PHV in the U.K., and thus a negative ruling could have placed serious limitations on the service, if not an outright ban.

But the court ruled the Uber app is not a taximeter, according to a tweet from the Wall Street Journal.

Like many other regions, London’s taxi industry has been fighting legal and public relations battles against Uber. Those efforts are likely facing even steeper odds after today’s ruling.