This archive report was first published on 25 November 2019.
London's transport regulator, Transport for London (TfL), has yet to decide on whether to renew Uber's operating licence in the city. The decision comes after a media report on Monday, November 25, 2019, said the taxi app would lose its right to take rides in Britain's capital.
According to LBC radio, Uber will not receive a new licence in one of its most important markets, citing several unnamed sources. However, a spokesman at TfL said no decision has been made, leaving the fate of Uber's London licence hanging in the balance.
Uber and TfL have been engaged in a long-running battle since the authority rejected a renewal request in 2017, citing shortcomings in the firm's approach to reporting serious criminal offences and driver background checks. The dispute prompted legal action, but a judge in 2018 granted Uber a probationary 15-month licence after the company made several changes to its business model.
More recently, in September 2019, 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.
