The Adam Smith Institute supports Uber's appeal of the bonkers English language tests for minicab drivers that Sadiq Khan and TfL have made compulsory.

Sam Dumitiru, Research Economist at the Adam Smith Institute, says:

"Uber is right to appeal against Sadiq's bonkers written English language tests for private hire drivers.

"Passengers rightly expect to be able to communicate with their drivers in English but Sadiq's written English tests are excessive. London minicab drivers of twenty years or more must pay £200 to answer essay questions about topics like the Aurora Borealis, snowboarding and Mars. What next? Three paragraphs on Macbeth?

"The test is even hitting native English speaking drivers who've been working in London for 30 years and can't dig out their old O-Level certificates. It defies common sense. These tests risk putting hard working minicab drivers out of work – pushing prices and wait-times up for ordinary consumers.

"Most Londoners will want a driver who can get them from A to B not an expert on the Northern Lights. Sadiq should drop these loony language tests."

For further comment or to arrange an interview please contact Matt Kilcoyne, via email (matt@adamsmith.org) or phone 07584778207.

Kind regards,
Matt