Transport for London decides not to renew Uber London's private hire licence

Transport for London (TfL) has decided not to renew Uber London’s private hire operator licence when it expires at the end of this month, a decision that is set to be challenged by the company in the courts.

TfL, which regulates London’s taxi and private hire trades, said it had concluded that Uber London was not fit and proper to hold a private hire operator licence.

TfL said that it “considers that Uber's approach and conduct demonstrate a lack of corporate responsibility in relation to a number of issues which have potential public safety and security implications”.

These included:

• The company’s approach to reporting serious criminal offences.
• Its approach to how medical certificates are obtained.
• Its approach to how Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks are obtained.
• Its approach to explaining the use of Greyball in London - "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".

Under the Private Hire Vehicles (London) Act 1998 Uber London can appeal the licensing decision within 21 days of it being communicated. It can continue to operate until any appeal processes have been exhausted.

TfL said it would make no further comment pending any appeal of this decision.

Tom Elvidge, General Manager of Uber in London, said:  “3.5 million Londoners who use our app, and more than 40,000 licensed drivers who rely on Uber to make a living, will be astounded by this decision. By wanting to ban our app from the capital Transport for London and the Mayor have caved in to a small number of people who want to restrict consumer choice. If this decision stands, it will put more than 40,000 licensed drivers out of work and deprive Londoners of a convenient and affordable form of transport.

“To defend the livelihoods of all those drivers, and the consumer choice of millions of Londoners who use our app, we intend to immediately challenge this in the courts."

Elvidge added: “Drivers who use Uber are licensed by Transport for London and have been through the same enhanced DBS background checks as black cab drivers. Our pioneering technology has gone further to enhance safety with every trip tracked and recorded by GPS. We have always followed TfL rules on reporting serious incidents and have a dedicated team who work closely with the Metropolitan Police. As we have already told TfL, an independent review has found that ‘greyball’ has never been used or considered in the UK for the purposes cited by TfL."

He said: “Uber operates in more than 600 cities around the world, including more than 40 towns and cities here in the UK. This ban would show the world that, far from being open, London is closed to innovative companies who bring choice to consumers.”

The company was licenced as a private hire operator in 2012. On 26 May TfL granted a 4-month licence whilst it concluded its consideration of a five-year licence.