Uber, the ride-hailing platform, announced that London’s black cab drivers will soon be able to offer rides through their app, in an effort to mend the contentious relationship between the two parties.

The new service is set to be offered in early 2024, allowing black cab drivers to view the destination upfront and book passengers through the Uber app.

Uber and London’s black cabs have been at odds for over a decade, causing upheaval in the taxi trade.

In an attempt to sweeten the deal for new drivers, Uber announced it would waive the percentage of the fare that goes to them for the first six months of the partnership.

The announcement was met with skepticism and pushback from London cabdrivers, who expressed strong disapproval of the partnership with Uber.

The Licensed Taxi Drivers Association, which represents a majority of the city’s nearly 18,000 cabdrivers, was vocal in their opposition to the partnership, stating there was no demand for it among taxi drivers.

Uber, however, expressed optimism and reported that they were pleased with the progress on the first day of drivers signing up for the service.

London’s taxi trade union pointed out that black cabs were already available on other apps and that the drivers did not need another platform to book their services.