London cabbies are backing down from a threat that would have seen drivers abandoning city streets.
Traditional taxi drivers gave local politicians the ultimatum this week, stating they would cease operating in London if city council rescinds a bylaw that would force Uber drivers to have cameras in their vehicles.
However, London Taxi Association spokesperson Roger Caranci said on Thursday that cab drivers will not follow through on the threat.
"Some of our people in the industry were mad... and made a decision I think was a snap decision," said Caranci. "The only people we would hurt with that [threat are] the people that we service. A lot of those people have been using our service for many, many years -- we don't want to alienate them."
The threat by traditional cab drivers was made after Uber released a statement on Monday stating it will shut down operations in London if city council goes ahead with the bylaw.
City councillors voted 7-6 last week in favour of the camera bylaw, which Uber has said will cost each driver about $1,000. According to Uber, no city in the world requires cameras in ridesharing vehicles.
Council will decide the fate of the the bylaw during a meeting on Tuesday.
"We have other avenues to protest if the council's decision is overturned," said Caranci. "We have some contingencies as to what we're going to do, but we're not prepared to share those at this time."
