Uber Stripped of London Licence After Safety Failures

Uber has 21 days to appeal and can continue to take rides during the process, which is likely to include court action and could drag on for months.

Advertisement
By Reuters | Updated: 25 November 2019 17:14 IST

Uber was stripped of its London operating licence on Monday for the second time in just over two years after the city's regulator said a "pattern of failures" on safety and security meant the taxi app was not fit and proper.

A change to Uber's systems allowed unauthorised drivers to upload their photos to other driver accounts, meaning they could pick up passengers as if they were the booked driver, which happened in at least 14,000 trips, Transport for London (TfL) said.

Advertisement

The Silicon Valley-based company, which has faced pushback from authorities and existing operators in several countries, has 21 days to appeal and can continue to take rides during the process, which is likely to include court action and could drag on for months.

"TfL has identified a pattern of failures by the company including several breaches that placed passengers and their safety at risk," the regulator said on Monday, the day the firm's licence expires.

Advertisement

"Despite addressing some of these issues, TfL does not have confidence that similar issues will not reoccur in the future, which has led it to conclude that the company is not fit and proper at this time."

Uber, which has roughly 45,000 drivers in London, did not offer an immediate comment.

Advertisement

Uber and TfL have been engaged in a long-running battle since TfL rejected a renewal request in 2017, citing shortcomings in the firm's approach to reporting serious criminal offences and driver background checks.

A judge in 2018 then granted Uber a probationary 15-month licence, after the company made several changes to its business model.

Advertisement

In September, TfL gave Uber just a two-month extension, far short of the maximum possible five years, and imposed further conditions covering ride-sharing, appropriate insurance and driver document checks.

Ahead of the latest decision, Uber said it would introduce measures such as a discrimination button enabling drivers and riders to report abuse, enhanced safety training for drivers and a direct connection to the emergency services.

© Thomson Reuters 2019

 

Get your daily dose of tech news, reviews, and insights, in under 80 characters on Gadgets 360 Turbo. Connect with fellow tech lovers on our Forum. Follow us on X, Facebook, WhatsApp, Threads and Google News for instant updates. Catch all the action on our YouTube channel.

Further reading: Uber, London, TfL
Advertisement

Related Stories

Popular Mobile Brands
  1. OnePlus Turbo 6X, OnePlus Turbo 6X Pro Key Specifications Teased
  2. Xiaomi Pad 8 Price Increased: Here's How Much It Costs Now
  3. Redmi Turbo 5 India Launch Date Revealed as Company Confirms Key Specs
  4. New OTT Releases This Week : Dhurandhar 2, Maa Behen, The Pyramid Scheme, and More
  1. Sahara Meteorite May Be Fragment of a Lost Moon-Sized World, Study Suggests
  2. OpenAI Introduces Smarter ChatGPT Memory, Adds Dreaming Architecture
  3. Tecno Pova 8 India Launch Date Announced; Battery Size, Design, Colour Options Teased
  4. Samsung Reportedly Starts Internal Testing of Android 17-Based One UI 9 for Galaxy S25 Series
  5. Bybit Lists Western Union’s USDPT Stablecoin for Trading and Transfers
  6. Xiaomi Pad 8 Price Hiked in India: Here’s How Much It Costs Now
  7. Instagram Reels Influencing Nearly Half of Purchase Decisions in India, Meta Study Claims
  8. OnePlus Turbo 6X, OnePlus Turbo 6X Pro Colour Options, Price Range, Key Specifications Teased
  9. Sattendru Maarudhu Vaanilai Now Streaming Online: Where to Watch Jai’s Romantic Thriller Movie
  10. Asics GEL-Kayano 33 Launched in India With New Stability Tech, FluidSupport System
Download Our Apps
Available in Hindi
© Copyright Red Pixels Ventures Limited 2026. All rights reserved.