Unic Press UK: Uber London Limited will not be re-issued a private hire operator licence when its current licence expires 30 September 2017, the Transport for London (TfL) said yesterday.
In a statement ‘Licensing decision on Uber London Limited’, yesterday, TfL said:
“Transport for London (TfL) has today (Friday 22 September) informed Uber London Limited that it will not be issued with a private hire operator licence after expiry of its current licence on 30 September. TfL’s regulation of London’s taxi and private hire trades is designed to ensure passenger safety. Private hire operators must meet rigorous regulations, and demonstrate to TfL that they do so, in order to operate. TfL must also be satisfied that an operator is fit and proper to hold a licence. TfL has concluded that Uber London Limited is not fit and proper to hold a private hire operator licence.”
TfL’s decision was based on several infractions of Uber, such as, how the transport company reported serious criminal offences, lapses in its use of the Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks, the use of Greyball – ‘software that could be used to block regulatory bodies from gaining full access to the app and prevent officials from undertaking regulatory or law enforcement duties’.
In line with the The Private Hire Vehicles (London) Act 1998, Uber London Limited has 21 days to appeal TfL’s licensing decision.
