Uber campaigns against tough rules

Ride-sharing giant Uber launched a petition that had more than 116,000 signatures by Thursday against proposed regulation in London that would force drivers to pass English language and map reading tests. Drivers of traditional London taxis or “black cabs” have protested against services like Uber for years and hold frequent rallies in the streets of the British capital, accusing them of unfair competition. “We understand that black cab drivers are feeling the pressure from services like Uber,” the company’s British branch said on its website. “But the answer is to level the playing field by reducing today’s burdensome black cab regulations -- not to introduce rules that will be bad for riders, drivers and London,” the statement said. Transport for London (TfL), which runs the city’s transport system, launched a public consultation on Wednesday on a series of proposals that would affect all minicab services, including Uber, but not taxis.