“Safety is our absolute top priority.”
Uber has lost its licence to operate in London due to passenger safety issues.
Transport for London (TfL) said today that the ride-sharing app’s permit had not been renewed following multiple safety breaches that had “put passengers and their safety at risk.”
The group said that they could not be confident that issues around unlicensed and uninsured drivers would not be repeated.
Uber has 21 days to appeal the decision.
Sky News reports that TfL’s Director of licensing, regulation and charging, Helen Chapman, said:
“As the regulator of private hire services in London we are required to make a decision today on whether Uber is fit and proper to hold a licence. Safety is our absolute top priority.
“While we recognise Uber has made improvements, it is unacceptable that Uber has allowed passengers to get into minicabs with drivers who are potentially unlicensed and uninsured.
“It is clearly concerning that these issues arose, but it is also concerning that we cannot be confident that similar issues won’t happen again in future.”
Chapman added that if Uber choose to appeal the decision, they can continue to operate in London.
They will then be closely monitored by TfL “… to ensure the management has robust controls in place to ensure safety is not compromised during any changes to the app.”
Uber has said that they will appeal the decision, calling it “extraordinary and wrong.”
“We have fundamentally changed our business over the last two years and are setting the standard on safety,” they said.
“TfL found us to be a fit and proper operator just two months ago, and we continue to go above and beyond.”
