Uber London Ltd ("Uber") and Transopco (UK) Ltd (the latter trading as "Free Now") are each operators licensed under the Private Hire Vehicles (London) Act 1998 ("the 1998 Act"). Users of their services are able to book a private hire vehicle using a smartphone app. As is well known, an issue arose whether private hire vehicle drivers providing services to passengers through the Uber app were to be regarded as "workers" within the meaning of various provisions of employment protection legislation.