‘Uber is taxi firm not tech site’ Two cops sacked for skiving

UBER is a transport firm not a digital service, judges have ruled.

The ride-calling outfit had claimed it was a technology firm enabling people to contact each other. But the European Court of Justice, in a case brought by cabbies in Barcelona, said it was an “overall service whose main component is transport” and had to obey local taxi rules.

Uber said the ruling would not affect its operations in the rest of Europe.

It has had its London licence removed on safety grounds but can still operate during the appeal process. TWO police officers were dismissed after going for coffee before responding to a callout and not attending two others.

PCs Robert Ashcroft and Ataul Ahmad, from Slough, Berks, were dismissed for gross misconduct by Thames Valley Police.

Det Chief Supt Chris Ward, head of professional standards, said: “There is no place in our force for those who behave in the manner they did.”

Ashcroft and Ahmad did not attend a report of a man with a knife and another of hare coursing. Earlier, they went for a coffee at a petrol station before arriving.