Uber loses its license to operate in London

Transport for London (TfL) today announced that it will not be renewing Uber’s license for operating in London. Uber’s operator license in London is set to end on the 30th of September, which means it could soon get banned in London if it doesn’t get a renewed license. The Mayor of London has also supported TfL’s decision to ban Uber in the city.

TfL said in a statement that Uber is not “fit and proper” to hold a private operator license in London. “TfL considers that Uber’s approach and conduct demonstrate a lack of corporate responsibility in relation to a number of issues which have potential safety and security implications,” the statement said. These issues include the company’s approach to reporting serious criminal offenses, how it obtains medical certificates from its 40,000 drivers, and how the Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Services checks are obtained:

https://twitter.com/TfL/status/911168235189489669

Uber will, of course, be appealing the decision made by TfL. The company only has 21 days to appeal, but it’ll continue to be able to operate in London, reports The Next Web. Tom Elvidge, the General Manager of Uber in London, said in a statement:

“Drivers who use Uber are licensed by Transport for London and have been through the same enhanced DBS background checks as black cab drivers. Our pioneering technology has gone further to enhance safety with every trip tracked and recorded by GPS. We have always followed TfL rules on reporting serious incidents and have a dedicated team who work closely with the Metropolitan Police. As we have already told TfL, an independent review has found that ‘greyball’ has never been used or considered in the UK for the purposes cited by TfL.”

Uber getting banned in London will have a huge impact in London, with around 3.5 million passengers using the app and 40,000 drivers operating in the city. If Uber fails to make the TfL change its decision, most of the 40 thousand drivers will be in serious financial trouble.