Uber Has Been Stripped of Its License to Operate in London
The ride-sharing service has been deemed "not fit and proper to hold a private hire operator licence."
A ride in one of London's famous black cabs is on every tourist's must-do list, but for locals and visitors alike, they're about to get a whole lot busier. Five years after obtaining a license to operate in the UK capital, ride-sharing alternative Uber has been told that its permit won't be renewed when it expires at the end of September.
In a statement, transport regulator Transport for London has announced that they will not be granting the company a new private hire operator licence after concluding "that Uber London Limited is not fit and proper" to operate according to its regulations. Specifically, "TfL considers that Uber's approach and conduct demonstrate a lack of corporate responsibility in relation to a number of issues which have potential public safety and security implications."
The government body raised particular concerns about Uber's approach to background checks and reporting serious criminal offences, as well as its use of "software that could be used to block regulatory bodies from gaining full access to the app and prevent officials from undertaking regulatory or law enforcement duties." Uber, which boasts more than 40,000 drivers in London, has 21 days to appeal the decision. The company will be allowed to continue operating until the appeals process has been completed.
Unsurprisingly, in a city where the ride-sharing app is used by more than 3.5 million passengers, Uber hasn't taken the news lightly, responding that "London is closed to innovative companies who bring choice to consumers," according to the ABC. No stranger to regulatory woes, the current situation follows in the footsteps of similar troubles in other places around the globe — from withdrawing from Denmark and having its apps blocked in Italy, to struggling with the necessary reforms in the Northern Territory following an earlier ban and facing tougher legislation in Queensland.
Via the ABC.
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