Transport for London has extended Uber’s license to operate in the UK’s capital city by a mere two months.
London’s transport authority has refused the disruptive ride-hailing company its request for a full five-year operating license while it continues to investigate the Silicon Valley giant.
The extension comes in the nick of time for the firm with its existing 15-month license expiring at midnight on Wednesday September 25. TfL says it wants additional information from Uber before it considers whether to grant the money-losing service an extended license.
“Uber London Limited has been granted a two-month private hire operator licence to allow for scrutiny of additional information that we are requesting ahead of consideration of any potential further licensing application,” a spokesperson for TfL says.
TfL is believed to be seeking greater assurances on Uber’s safety record and its corporate culture. Uber says it has demonstrated that progress and promises to ensure TfL gets all of the information it needs in order to grant the full license.
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“TfL’s recognition of our improved culture and governance reflects the progress we have made in London. We will continue to work closely with TfL and provide any additional requested information,” an Uber spokesperson said.
“Over the past two years, we’ve launched a range of new safety features in the app, introduced better protections for drivers and our Clean Air Plan is helping to tackle air pollution. We will keep listening, learning and improving to provide the best service while being a trusted partner to London.”
Uber has previously been subject to bans in London, but won an appeal last summer to win the 15-month license mentioned above. Uber had lost permission to operate in the capital after the transport authority decided it was not “fit and proper” to run a private hire service; presenting a boon for black cab drivers.
Uber had managed to convince the court it had changed the culture that caused the ban in the first place, but apparently TfL is still in need of some convincing.
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
