In the course of taking over the world, Uber suffered another setback in being banned in London. The city revoked the company’s license for operating in the former’s lanes. According to a released statement by TFL (Transport For London), the license would expire on September 30. In response, Uber is to appeal the decision and will continue operating until it is settled.
In a statement released, the transportation regulator agency said as quoted, “Private hire operators must meet rigorous regulations, and demonstrate to TfL that they do so, in order to operate. TfL has concluded that Uber London Limited is not fit and proper to hold a private hire operator license.”
As for the reasons, London pointed out that Uber’s “approach to conduct” showed a “lack of corporate responsibility”. The prime points considered for Uber were:
- The approach in background checks
- Usage of Greyball
- The approach in reporting crime
Tom Elvidge, Uber’s GM, said that the company would appeal. Furthermore, he provided conclusions on the circumstances that would come forward if London’s decision sticks. On the other hand, Sadiq Khan, London’s Mayor, expressed his support for the decision to revoke Uber’s operations. He talked about London’s future, where Uber seemed to not have qualified.
“All companies in London must play by the rules and adhere to the high standards we expect – particularly when it comes to the safety of customers. Providing an innovative service must not be at the expense of customer safety and security,” Khan said.
Customers obviously expressed unhappiness on social media regarding this.
As for the London taxi companies and trade organizations, they exquisitely supported the decision.
Steve McNamara, General Secretary of the Licensed Taxi Drivers’ Association, said, “Since it first came onto our streets Uber has broken the law, exploited its drivers and refused to take responsibility for the safety of passengers. We expect Uber will again embark on a spurious legal challenge against the Mayor and TfL, and we will urge the court to uphold this decision. This immoral company has no place on London’s streets.”
As far as rules are concerned, Uber needs to file its appeal within 21 days. Legally, they can operate within this period. As per social media responses, Uber is more likely to prevail. London comes among those cities where it becomes tough to take it away from citizens who have been extensively used to services like Uber.
