London’s taxi drivers are practically daring city hall to fine them for shirking local regulations — claiming they expect the same lax enforcement bylaw-busting Uber drivers are facing.

One year after the ride-sharing giant upended the local taxi industry, its leaders on Monday announced their 450 taxis and limousines won’t pay the $750 renewal fee required for each to be licensed by city hall in 2017.

That’s a total of nearly $340,000 — a bit of non-violent protest that will essentially make every London taxi a so-called “bandit cab” like Uber.

“If the city wants to charge us (our drivers), we’re very easy to find,” said Roger Caranci, a former longtime city councillor who’s now spokesperson for the London Taxi Association.

“There have been (only) 55 charges against thousands upon thousands of rides that Uber drivers have given in this city. That is totally unfair.”

Caranci’s figure of 55 couldn’t be independently confirmed. The city official who oversees taxi bylaws, Orest Katolyk, wasn’t available for comment Monday.

But a city councillor who’s arguably the loudest voice in favour of regulating so-called transportation network companies — Uber being the most notable — believes cab dispatchers and owners are taking a wrong turn.

“I think it’s a mistake to respond to one market participant (Uber) not following the bylaw by more market participants not following the bylaw,” Coun. Jesse Helmer said. “I think they’re giving up a lot of goodwill in the community.

“People are frustrated and I get that (but) I think it’s a mistake.”

The London Taxi Association, Caranci noted, is not upset with city staff. It’s council that’s drawn their ire — Helmer in particular.

But council is weeks away from possibly enacting sweeping new taxi bylaws that could bring Uber under regulation. Potential changes include allowing “surge pricing” — higher rates at peak times — and letting fleets negotiate lower fees as opposed to a city-set starting fare.

Caranci argued licence fees paid by cab owners are used, in part, for enforcement — and based on Uber’s continued operation in the city, the money “has not been used properly.”

Caranci also made an economic argument for Londoners to back traditional taxis over Uber.

The cab industry, Caranci estimated, is worth about $35 million annually. But were Uber to take it over, only about $10.5 million would stay here in the form of payment to drivers, the rest heading to its California headquarters.

Uber considers itself a tech firm, not a traditional taxi dispatcher, and therefore believes it shouldn’t face old-style regulation.

Its online app matches people needing rides to people willing to drive them in a personal vehicle for an agreed-upon fee. It’s exploded in popularity, and is used often in London, though Uber Canada won’t release ridership figures.

Helmer, facing the brunt of the cab industry’s anger, believes that’s not being considered by many.

“Sometimes what’s lost in these discussions is what’s in the consumer interest,” he said. “People are voting with their money. There’s a large portion of the population that wants this kind of service.”

pmaloney@postmedia.com

twitter.com/patatLFPress