Uber has lost its London operational license after Transport for London (TfL) refused to renew its two-month temporary license that had been issued in September.
While denying Uber an operational license in 2017, TfL cited safety concerns among them the company’s approach to reporting serious criminal offences, how drivers’ medical certificates were obtained, and how criminal record checks were carried out.
TfL also accused Uber of using Greyball software that blocked regulatory bodies from gaining full access to Uber’s app for law enforcement duties.
However, the ride-hailing company was granted a 15-month license extension. Additionally, it received an additional two-month probationary extension in September 2019 which expired on 24th November 2019.
While we recognise Uber has made improvements, it is unacceptable that Uber has allowed passengers to get into minicabs with drivers who are potentially unlicensed and uninsured.
Helen Chapman, Director of Licensing, Regulation and Charging at TfL
Despite all these, Uber says it will appeal the decision. This means that its taxi-hailing services will continue uninterrupted throughout the process of the appeal.
We have fundamentally changed our business over the last two years and are setting the standard on safety. Over the last two months we have audited every driver in London and further strengthened our processes.
Jamie Heywood, regional general manager for Northern & Eastern Europe at Uber.
Uber is an American multinational ride-hailing company offering services that include peer-to-peer ridesharing, food delivery, and a micro-mobility system with electric bikes and scooters. The company is based in San Francisco and has operations in over 785 metropolitan areas worldwide. Its platforms can be accessed via its websites and mobile apps.
See Also:
