Uber Loses License to Operate in London Following Safety Concerns

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Uber has lost its license to operate in London, one of its biggest markets, after the local transport regulator ruled that the cab aggregator was not qualified to offer its services in the city. In a report published earlier today, Transport for London (TfL) said that it will “not grant Uber London Limited (Uber) a new private hire operator’s licence in response to its latest application”.

The regulator had earlier granted the US firm a two-month probationary extension in September on condition that it addresses issues with background checks on drivers, insurance and safety, but the company has apparently failed to satisfy the organization’s demands. In its report, TfL cited a ‘pattern of failures’ on Uber’s part to ensure public safety as the primary reason for its refusal to grant Uber a license.

According to the regulator, the failures include, among others, more than 14,000 trips with uninsured drivers, trips conducted by drivers with revoked licenses and, at least in one case, a driver who had been accused of distributing indecent images of children. According to the TfL, “Despite addressing some of these issues, TfL does not have confidence that similar issues will not reoccur in the future, which has led it to conclude that the company is not fit and proper at this time”.

Uber has contested the findings and has said it will appeal the ruling in the coming days. Meanwhile, the company won’t have to immediately shutter its services in London despite the setback. According to prevailing regulations in the UK capital, the company can continue to operate in the city pending the outcome of its appeal, provided it launches official proceedings within the next three weeks.

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