This file photo taken on June 11, 2014 shows a sticker with the Uber
logo displayed in the window of a car in San Francisco, California. AFP
PHOTO | FILE
A decision by London’s transport regulator to strip Uber
Technologies Inc of its license to operate in the city was
“disproportionate” and has put thousands of jobs at risk, British Prime
Minister Theresa May said on Thursday.
"Yes there are
safety concerns and issues for Uber to address, but what I want to see
is a level playing field between the private firms and our wonderful
London taxis, our black cabs, our great national institution," May said
in an interview with the BBC.
“I want to see a level playing field. I think a blanket ban is disproportionate,” she said.
Regulator
Transport for London (TfL) deemed Uber unfit to run a taxi service on
Sept 22 and decided not to renew its licence to operate when it expires
on Saturday, citing the firm’s approach to reporting serious criminal
offences and background checks on drivers.
The US ride services company could be driven out of one of its most important global markets.
The
fight comes as its new chief executive is trying to clean up Uber’s
reputation as an aggressive and unapologetic firm, following a string of
scandals.
Apology for Uber's mistakes
Chief
Executive Dara Khosrowshahi, who is less than a month into his new job,
has apologised to Londoners for Uber’s mistakes and said it will appeal
against the decision.
The Silicon valley firm will be
allowed to operate in London until the licence appeal process is
exhausted, which could take several months.
“At a
stroke of a pen, what the mayor has done is risked 40,000 jobs and of
course ... damaged the lives of those 3.5 million Uber users,” May said
in the interview, given before the start of her Conservative Party’s
annual conference on Sunday.
A court will hear Uber’s appeal of the decision by TfL, which is chaired by London Mayor Sadiq Khan.
Uber,
which has 40,000 drivers in the city, has said it is working with the
police to work out how it can better report incidents and offered to
work with TfL to regain the licence.
Khan, a politician
from the national opposition Labour Party who has criticised the firm
in the past, said on Monday he had asked TfL to be available to meet CEO
Khosrowshahi.
Petition to overturn decision
A
petition calling on London to overturn its decision not to renew Uber’s
licence had gathered more than 800,000 signatures by Thursday evening.
The
company has faced regulatory and legal setbacks around the world, and
been forced to quit several countries including Denmark and Hungary,
amid opposition from traditional taxi services and concern among some
regulators.
Uber, which began operating in London in
2012, is separately defending its business model in Britain and told a
tribunal on Wednesday its drivers were self-employed, not workers
entitled to a range of benefits.
Uber declined to comment on May’s remarks while TfL was not available outside regular UK business hours
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