Uber has won its appeal to operate in London after losing its license. Deputy Chief Magistrate, Tan Inkram, in his ruling said that the service is ‘fit and proper’ and should be allowed to operate in the capital.
Uber’s operations in London continued throughout the appeals process. With the appeal, the company got a license to operate for 18 months.
The judge in his ruling stated that Uber made ‘historical failings.’ In 2019, London’s transport authority, Transport for London (TfL), had also cited a ‘pattern of failures’ as its reason for not granting Uber a new operating license.
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The ride-hailing platform also received criticism for allowing unauthorised drivers to upload their photos to other Uber drivers accounts. This meant that unauthorised drivers could accept rides as though they are legitimate.
According to BBC News, 24 drivers used this loophole to share their accounts with 20 others. A total of 14,788 trips were also reported to have been made by the wrong driver. In addition, the journeys were uninsured. The TfL also revoked the license of one of the drivers who used this method.
The judge, however, stated that he believes Uber had been working to improve its standards. “I am satisfied that they are doing what a reasonable business in their sector could be expected to do, perhaps even more,” he said.
Unsatisfied, the Licensed Taxi Drivers Association, called the decision ‘a disaster for London’. The association also said that Uber has created the false impression that it has changed for the better. The association, which represents some of London’s black-cab drivers, posted its statement on Twitter.
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