Technofreak: From what I read Uber were pinged for not charging a fixed fare, a requirement for providing a Private Hire service, which is the licence they hold.
As others have mentioned the authorities have most probably taken a softly softly approach as this hasn't worked they've now brought out the big stick.
I strongly suspect the authorities have been under pressure for some time to take action. I know if I were an operator having to comply with expensive requirements and being fined if I wasn't compliant, I'd be expecting others to be made to comply as well. If the Taxi Federation made a complaint I don't blame them. They don't make the rules they are like Uber, they have to comply as well.
From where I sit Uber want to have the benefits of running a Taxi service without paying for the privilege. No wonder they are cheaper. There's nothing stopping them from setting up a taxi service. Why haven't they done it?
I would hardly say they are getting the benefits of running a taxi service, If that was the case I would very much like to see all taxi providers forced to follow the same procedure of setting a minimum and maximum price for all transactions prior to even booking.
Uber drivers don't pickup random people who do not have bookings under the uber name, If they do this they are doing so under their on duty taxi companies name not uber which is undeniably legal.