London (AFP) – London’s transport authority on Monday refused to renew an operating licence for ride-hailing giant Uber — and blamed “unacceptable” safety risks for passengers.
“Transport for London (TfL) has concluded that it will not grant Uber London Limited (Uber) a new private hire operator’s licence in response to its latest application,” it said in a statement.
The American giant, which has about 3.5 million customers and some 50,000 drivers in the British capital, described the move as “wrong” and added that it will appeal.
The TfL rejection is the latest set-back to the firm’s London operation, which has suffered previous licence suspensions in addition to protests from traditional black cab drivers.
In September, Uber was granted a two-month extension to its licence following the expiry of a previous 15-month agreement. The extension was conditional on passenger safety improvements.
– ‘Pattern of failures’ –
TfL on Monday said there were a “pattern of failures”, including the use of unauthorised drivers on other drivers’ accounts, allowing them to pick up passengers.
The transport authority said this happened at least 14,000 times, endangering users, as it invalidated insurance.
Some trips took place with unlicensed, suspended or dismissed drivers. more
There needs to be a new traffic law: DWU, Driving While Uber. Some are decent drivers but so many don’t seem to know where they are going, sudden lane changes, and then coming to a hard stop in a lane to pick up or drop off. They are the second type of car for which I change my driving plan when I see them – and they are everywhere!
The Real Reason: Uber is putting overpaid union cabbies out of a job. You have to read halfway down the article before you get to this:
“Unite, Britain’s biggest trade union, welcomed the announcement and called for a level-playing field to allow traditional taxi services to compete…”
I wonder if it would improve “passenger safety” if Uber drivers were required not to be able to speak Arabic, Urdu, Farsi, Turkish, or any of the languages of North, East, South, West, or Central Africa.
I guess they want everybody to pay more for s ride!
I have a close family member who Ubërs. He’s a moron for letting total strangers into his car. But I know he’s trolling for an easy lay.
Sometimes those easy lays don’t work out too well for him as some of you here who are aware of Barcelona can attest to. 🥴🤢🤮
So I don’t get it. Why is it governments responsibility to ‘regulate’ ride sharing/taxi services?
Why, so they can collect their ‘cut’, of course.
Graft by any other name would stink as bad…
If the government can force you to buy insurance, what will stop them from forcing you to buy a boat or an airplane?