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London's transport regulator has refused to renew Uber's
operating license in the UK capital, according to The Verge.
Transport for London (TfL), which had been extending Uber's
provisional licence in recent months, said it has identified a
pattern of failures by the ride-hailing company that places
passengers at risk. A TfL spokesperson said, "Despite [Uber]
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." One
of the identified issues is that the Uber's system allows
unauthorised drivers to upload their photos to other Uber driver
accounts, enabling them to pick up passengers as if they were the
original drivers with whom the trip was booked. According to the
TfL spokesperson, around 14,000 trips have witnessed this failure
with some of the journeys taking place with unlicensed drivers, one
of whom had previously had their licence revoked. According to The
Verge report, Uber plans to appeal against the decision. Uber's
regional general manager for Northern and Eastern Europe, Jamie
Heywood, said, "TfL's decision not to renew Uber's licence in
London is extraordinary and wrong. We have fundamentally changed
our business over the last two years and are setting the standard
on safety."
Significance: Uber has failed to renew its full
licence to operate in the city since 2017 because of various
charges made against it, including claims that the surge in the
number of private-hire cars is responsible for increased
congestion. In 2018, it won a 15-month probationary licence after
agreeing to stricter government oversight. The company has
introduced several initiatives in the city such as 24-hour
telephone support, notifying serious incidents to police, and the
ability to share journeys with friends and family. Uber has also
introduced a 15-pence-per-mile charge termed a "clean air fee" on
each trip that is booked in London to raise funds to help drivers
switch to electric vehicles (EVs). However, the alleged failures
that allow unlicensed drivers to pick up passengers could create
dangerous situations for the passengers and other people on the
road and put their safety at risk. TfL's decision also questions
the measures that have been undertaken by Uber and its seriousness
to ensure passenger safety.
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