LONDON—Addison Lee has handed UK PR duties to W Communications as it steps up expansion plans amid London's 'taxi wars'.

The agency secures the assignment following a competitive review overseen by AAR. The business was previously handled by Ogilvy PR.

W will oversee consumer media relations, reputation and issues management, B2B communications, social media and corporate profiling.

While London's 'taxi wars' have hit the headlines in recent weeks, Addison Lee is exploring plans to expand beyond the city to other UK regions. The company currently operates more than 3,500 cars, in a market that features black cabs and newer services such as Uber and Hailo.

"It’s an exciting time to be operating in the highly competitive private hire space, making this a great win for W," said W founder Warren Johnson. "Addison Lee is the biggest player in the sector, and we are looking forward to working together to build the brand and find new ways to connect with its loyal fans."

Bought by private equity firm Carlyle last year, Addison Lee's turnover grew 7.6 percent for its most recent fiscal year, to £171.7m. 

"They had a fresh view on how to take the business forward with the right cultural fit," said Addison Lee chief commercial officer Peter Boucher of W's hire.