The Transport for London (TfL) has announced that Uber will no longer be granted a new license to operate in London, England following repeated safety failures.
According to the regulator, the ride-hailing company Uber was not "fit and proper" to receive a new license in London despite implementing a number of positive changes to its operations. Uber initially lost its license to operate in 2017 but was given two extensions, the latest of which expired on Sunday.
The firm can file an appeal and will be able to continue operating while it is in process. Uber currently employs around 45,000 drivers in London, which is one of its top five markets worldwide.
According to the TfL, it had identified a "pattern of failures" that placed passenger safety and security at risk, including a change to Uber's systems that allowed unauthorized drivers to upload their photos to other Uber driver accounts.
TfL mentioned that there have been at least 14,000 fraudulent trips in the city in late 2018 and early 2019. The regulator also discovered dismissed or suspended drivers who were able to create Uber accounts and transport passengers.
TfL Director of Licensing, Regulation and Charging Helen Chapman said: "While we recognise Uber has made improvements, it is unacceptable that Uber has allowed passengers to get into minicabs with drivers who are potentially unlicensed and uninsured."
London Mayor Sadiq Khan supported the decision of TfL, saying: "I know this decision may be unpopular with Uber users, but their safety is the paramount concern. Regulations are there to keep Londoners safe."
Meanwhile, Uber called the decision "extraordinary and wrong" and that it had audited every driver in London over the last two months and further strengthened its processes. Uber chief executive officer (CEO) Dara Khosrowshahi wrote in a tweet: "We understand we're held to a high bar, as we should be. But this TfL decision is just wrong. Over the last 2 years we have fundamentally changed how we operate in London."
