Uber has been granted a two-and-a-half-year licence to operate private hire vehicles in London.
The global ride-hailing firm took to Twitter to say they were “delighted” by the news and that they were pleased to have met Transport for London’s (TfL) “high bar” in terms of standards.
Today, a TfL spokeswoman said: “Uber has been granted a London private hire vehicle operator’s licence for a period of two-and-a-half years.”
The firm was previously denied a licence by TfL in November 2019, but was granted an 18-month licence in September 2020 after an appeal found it was a “fit and proper”.
A woman gets into an Uber
Uber
An Uber spokesperson said: “We’re delighted to announce TfL has granted Uber a new 30-month licence in London. TfL rightly holds our industry to the highest regulatory and safety standards and we are pleased to have met their high bar."
The statement on social media added: “As we continue to serve London, we remain focused on raising industry standards in all areas.
“These include offering drivers the benefits and protections they deserve, ensuring all Londoners can get around safely and becoming a fully electric platform by 2025.”
Yaseen Aslam, president of App Drivers and Couriers Union (ADCU) said he feared the latest decision “will now inevitably lead to congestion, more pollution and more poverty”.
Mr Aslam, who was involved in a court case in 2021 which resulted in a ruling which defines Uber drivers as workers rather than contractors, accused Uber of having “failed to abide by the Supreme Court ruling from last year and continues to cheat drivers out of pay for waiting time which is about 50% of working time”.
He suggested London Mayor Sadiq Khan “should look to New York for leadership inspiration where Uber must guarantee minimum wage for all working time, including waiting time, as a condition of license there.”
He added: “My fear is that the Mayor’s decision will now inevitably lead to congestion, more pollution and more poverty.”
Car outside an Uber office
MIKE BLAKE