New Uber boss to appeal decision

THE new boss of Uber was due to visit London for talks with the capital’s transport commissioner yesterday (Tuesday) after the firm’s licence was not renewed.

Dara Khosrowshahi, chief executive of the taxi app, will meet Mike Brown of Transport for London (TfL) as Uber seeks to continue operating in the city.

A TfL spokesman said: “Following an approach from Uber , and at the mayor’s request, London’s transport commissioner will meet with Uber’s global CEO in London.”

An Uber spokesman said: “Our new CEO is looking forward to meeting with the commissioner next week. As he said on Monday, we want to work with London to make things right.”

TfL refused to renew Uber’s licence last week on the grounds of “public safety and security implications”. Uber has said it will launch an appeal against the decision. It can continue to operate during that process.

The issues raised by TfL include Uber’s approach to reporting serious criminal offences, how drivers’ medical certificates are obtained, how criminal record checks are carried out and its use of technology which allegedly helps it to evade law enforcement officials.

Mr Khosrowshahi took over at Uber last month after predecessor Travis Kalanick resigned following a series of scandals.

In an open letter published after TfL’s decision he apologised for “the mistakes we’ve made” and accepted that the company had “got things wrong”.

He wrote that Uber will challenge the licence decision “with the knowledge that we must also change”.

More than 800,000 people have signed an online petition launched by Uber urging TfL to reverse its decision.

Mr Khosrowshahi thanked “everyone who uses Uber for your support over the last few days”.