adminLONDON. — Uber was stripped of its license to carry paying passengers in London yesterday for the second time in just over two years, pending an appeal, over a “pattern of failures” on safety and security.
Unauthorised drivers were able to upload their photos to others’ accounts so that, on over 14 000 trips, a driver other than the advertised one picked up passengers, the regulator Transport for London (TfL) said. The ride-hailing firm immediately said it would appeal. The process is likely to include court action and could drag on for months, allowing Uber’s roughly 45 000 drivers in London, one of its most important markets, to keep taking rides despite its licence expiring yesterday. TfL said it had “identified a pattern of failures by the company including several breaches that placed passengers and their safety at risk”, and that some journeys had been uninsured.
“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, whose app-based ordering and demand-sensitive pricing have disrupted operators in many cities worldwide including drivers of London’s “black cabs”, said its systems were robust and that it would also introduce a new facial matching process. — Reuters.
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