Uber to begin London operations appeal process

Ride-hailing service Uber has started an appeal process against the London authorities' decision to discontinue the car service's operations in London.

Last month, the company was denied a new private hire licence by Transport for London (TFL) , after the previous one expired on 30 September, because it was deemed to be neither fit or proper to operate in London on grounds of "public safety and security implications".

According to The Guardian, a hearing could take place on 11 December, although the appeal process was widely expected to take months.

In the meantime, Uber’s cars would continue to operate in the capital until the end of the legal process which might take place in a year or more.

"While we have today filed our appeal so that Londoners can continue using our app, we hope to continue having constructive discussions with Transport for London. As our new CEO has said, we are determined to make things right," an Uber spokesperson said.

Previously, the ride-hailing firm's CEO, Dara Khosrowshahi, had come to London for talks with the boss of TFL, Mike Brown.

While Uber described the early-October talks as "constructive", TFL said they had focused on "what needs to happen to ensure a thriving taxi and private hire market in London".

TFL had previously said that Uber's “conduct and approach” had been an issue amid concerns of how it implemented medical checks and its approach to reporting criminal offences.

There were also concerns that it might be employing software in oder to evade regulations in London.

The debate concerning Uber's future has caused a schism between Londoners, with thousands of people signing a petition prompting the London mayor, Sadiq Khan, to revoke the decision.