Uber obtains a two month extension to its license to operate London

Ride sharing and ride hailing businesses are presently making significant progress across the world due to its convenience and cost effective nature. However, safety and background of drivers turns out to be a major point of concern for passengers adopting such transport services. Various governmental organizations and transport authorities across the world are actively working to mitigate this issue and boost passenger safety.
Uber Technologies, a renowned American transport company, reportedly announced that its operating license for London was renewed for two more months after the 15-month extension, that the company had received after it lost its license in 2017, expired Wednesday.
Transport for London, local governmental body responsible for transportation, stated that Uber’s license would presently be renewed on a temporary basis while the governmental body requests additional information from the transport firm.
Transport for London added that Uber will also have to meet certain conditions pertaining to passenger safety.
This effectively means that the transport firm will have to wait till November in order to know if it is going to get full five-year operating license granted again. If the firm is not granted the license, it might have to stop its operations in London, the most important market in Europe for the company.
Uber has received a push-back from traditional taxi services as well as regulators in several countries following the controversies that had plagued it for several years.
Regional General Manager for northern and eastern Europe at Uber, Jamie Heywood stated that the company would continue to operate closely with Transport for London and give any additional information it needs.
Earlier in July, Uber Technologies was fined £28,800 due to two counts of Uber drivers working without insurance of vehicles as well as for not keeping proper records.
Uber stated that it made progress in its service, which included more checks over driver hours as well as extra passenger safety measures.
The previous terms of 15-month license granted by judge in 2018 would still apply, mandating Uber to make an assurance report that is independently verified every six months, electing three non-executive directors to the board, submit Transport for London four weeks’ prior notice of any changes that it would make to its operating model, as well as to report any criminal complaints from customers to Metropolitan police.
 
Source credit: https://www.bbc.com/news/business-49810049