SERVICES
Aug2018
Issue311
Private hire and taxi Insurance Specialists
01704 270 061
UBER CAN CARRY ON BUSINESS IN LONDON - FOR 15 MONTHS
On 26 June 2018 at Westminster Magis- trates’ Court, Senior District Judge and ChiefMagistrate Emma Arbuthnot decreed that Uber London Limited (ULL) is now a fit and proper per- son to hold a private hire operator licence in London. ULL’s previous opera- tor licence renewal application had been refused by Transport for London in Sep- tember 2017. Under the appeals process Uber was able to con- tinue providing app- based
transport
whilst this appeal pro- cedure was carried out and concluded. The ride-hailing firm’s future in one of its biggest globalmarkets had been thrown into jeopardy following last September’s ruling; however the Court has decided that the firm should be awarded a new 15-month proba- tionary licence after being told of "sweep- ing changes” to its practices. TfL in their refusal to
renew the licence had cited concerns about public safety and security, including a failure to report crimes or alleged crimes to the police, and to con- duct proper back- ground checks on drivers; howeverUber’s legal team convinced the Magistrates’ Court that
it has since
cleaned up its act. According to the Guardian, Uber told the court that, follow- ing the appointment of new management in the UK to ensure full compliance with regulations,
it had
“fully passed TfL’s three latest inspec- tions”. “Wholesale changes” put forward by Uber include proactive re- porting of serious incidents, and ensur- ing that drivers only operate in areas where
they
over the first five years of operation, and there had been “insufficient time” to see whether the firm had really changed its ways. She
said: are
licensed. Helen Chapman, dir- ector of
licensing
regulation and charg- ing at TfL, told the court that Uber had resisted regulation
“We’ve had five years of a very difficult rela- tionship, where Uber has felt that it hasn’t required regulation.” She said it had been “frankly frustrating” that TfL was made aware of issues via the media rather than through Uber. Tom Elvidge, general manager of Uber in the UK, said: “We are pleased with today’s decision. We will con- tinue to work with TfL to address their con- cerns and earn their trust, while providing the best possible ser- vice for our cus- tomers.” London’s Mayor Sadiq Khan said: “I believe everyonemust play by the same rules, no matter how big or powerful they are. After years of operat- ing badly in London, Uber has now accept- ed that TfL’s action in
refusing to renewtheir licencewas totally jus- tified. Today our stance has been vindi- cated by the court. “Uber has been put on probation. Their 15- month licence has a clear set of conditions that TfLwill thorough- ly monitor and en- force. Uber has been forced to overhaul the way it operates not just in London but across the world.” The chair of the Lon- don Assembly’s Tran- sport Committee, Car- oline Pidgeon, said TfL would need to strongly enforce con- ditions, adding: “The safety of Londoners must come first and we will be keeping a close eye on the way Uber operates.” Emma Arbuthnot said at the appeal hearing that Uber should pay all costs of the appeal. TfL’s lawyer said that a figure of £425,000 had been agreed. Further analysis and discussion on the actu- al court transcript can be found in Opinion inside.
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