‘Hammer blow’ as Uber loses licence to work in London

SADIQ Khan was accused of picking on Uber yesterday after the taxi-hailing app was stripped of its licence to operate in London.

The mayor praised Transport for London for the decision and said he was ‘annoyed’ the firm could not be shut down immediately.

The transport regulator said it had identified a ‘pattern of failures’ that put passenger safety at risk, including a fault that allowed unlicensed drivers to work.

Uber described the ruling as ‘extraordinary and wrong’ and said the problems related to just 3 of its 5,000 drivers. It has vowed to appeal and is likely to be allowed to operate during this process.

Mr Khan said: ‘I know this decision may be unpopular with Uber users, but their safety is the paramount concern.’ Business leaders warned that the decision could put thousands of drivers out of work while punishing the 3.5million tourists and commuters who rely on Uber. James Farrar, of the Independent Workers Union, said: ‘The mayor’s decision to once again deny Uber a licence will come as a hammer blow to its 5,000 drivers working under precarious conditions.’ The Times reported that several councils, including Glasgow, would look at the decision before they issue further licences. TfL first refused to renew Uber’s licence in 2017 over safety fears. After the firm appealed and addressed certain issues, it was handed a 15-month licence with a two-month extension. This expired at midnight last night. Uber chief executive Dara Khosrowshahi said: ‘This decision is just wrong. ‘Over the last two years we’ve fundamentally changed how we operate in London.’ Littlejohn – Page 19