Uber stripped of its London licence over fraudulent drivers
Uber has been stripped of its London licence after 14,000 trips were reportedly taken with drivers who faked their identity on the app.
Transport for London (TfL) ruled the ridesharing app was not “fit and proper” as a licence holder, according to BBC News.
Uber initially lost its licence to operate in London, one of the apps top five markets globally, in 2017 but has since been granted two extensions with the most recent expiring on Monday.
The Guardian reported the ride-share business was told it needs to address issues with checks on drivers, insurance and safety.
“Despite addressing some of these issues, TfL does not have confidence that similar issues will not reoccur in the future, which has led it to conclude that the company is not fit and proper at this time,” TfL said in a statement.
The regulator found Uber’s system allowed unauthorised drivers to upload their photos to driver’s accounts, estimating 14,000 fraudulent trips had occurred in late 2018 and early 2019.
On top of this, suspended drivers had also been able to create accounts, according to BBC News, with one example involving a man who had his private hire licence revoked for distributing images of children continuing to work for Uber.
“I know this decision may be unpopular with Uber users, but their safety is the paramount concern. Regulations are there to keep Londoners safe,” London Mayor Sadiq Kahn said, according to BBC News.
The decision does not mean Uber will disappear completely from the streets of London, as per The Guardian, the platform plans to appeal the decision
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