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Uber ban: Sadiq Khan implies he is not prepared to meet ride-sharing group over stripped taxi licence Uber ban: Sadiq Khan says TfL prepared to meet ride-sharing group over stripped taxi licence
(about 2 hours later)
London Mayor Sadiq Khan has implied that he is not prepared to meet with Uber, after Transport for London last week announced it was stripping the ride-sharing service of its licence to operate in the city. London Mayor Sadiq Khan has welcomed an apology by the chief executive of Uber, setting the scene for crunch talks between Transport for London and the ride-hailing giant which was last week stripped of its licence to operate in the city.
He said that TfL, of which he is the chairman, is always happy to talk to private ride hire operators, but that it’s improper for politicians to interfere in something that is a “quasi-judicial matter”. In an open letter published on Monday, Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi pleaded for his company to be allowed to continue operating in London, which is one of its most important European markets, after its licence expires on 30 September.
“What you can’t do is have a situation where unfair pressure is brought on a quasi-judicial body,” he told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme. On Friday, TfL said that it deemed the company “not fit and proper to hold a private hire operator licence” and said that its approach and conduct “demonstrate a lack of corporate responsibility in relation to a number of issues which have potential public safety and security implications”.
“London should be a place for new technology. London should be a place where new companies set up, but you’ve got to play by the rules,” he said. On Monday, in a one-page letter which he tweeted from his personal account, Mr Khosrowshahi admitted that the company had “got things wrong”. He apologised for the “mistakes […] made” and asked that TfL, of which Mr Khan is the chairman, give Uber the opportunity “to make things right”.
“If you play by the rules, you’re welcome in London, if you don’t, don’t be surprised if TfL takes issue.” “We won’t be perfect, be we will listen to you; we will look to be long-term partners with the cities we serve; and we will run our business with humility, integrity and passion,” Mr Khosrowshahi said.
On Friday, TfL said it had decided that Uber “is not fit and proper to hold a private hire operator licence”. Mr Khan, who earlier in the day implied that he was not prepared to meet with Uber, on account of it being improper for a politician to interfere in what he described as a “quasi-judicial matter”, welcomed the comments.
It said it considers the company’s approach and conduct “demonstrate a lack of corporate responsibility in relation to a number of issues which have potential public safety and security implications”. “Obviously I am pleased that [Mr Khosrowshahi] has acknowledged the issues that Uber faces in London,” he said. “Even though there is a legal process in place, I have asked TfL to make themselves available to meet with him." 
Uber said it was “astounded” by the decision and would immediately challenge it in the courts. Tom Elvidge, general manager of the company in London, launched an online petition to challenge TfL’s decision which, by Monday, had already garnered in excess of 760,000 virtual signatures.  
Separately on Monday, Uber’s head of cities for the UK, Fred Jones, told Radio 4 that the Silicon Valley-based company wants to “sit down with Transport for London” to discuss its decision and “find out what they want us to do, and move forward as soon as possible”. Uber on Friday said that it was “astounded” by TfL’s decision. It has since confirmed that it is challenging the move.
“It would be helpful to find out what their concerns are,” Mr Jones said. Tom Elvidge, general manager of Uber in London, launched an online petition to challenge TfL’s move on Friday. By Monday evening it had already garnered almost 770,000 virtual signatures.
In an open letter published on Monday, Uber’s global chief executive, Dara Khosrowshahi, pleaded for the group to be allowed to continue operating. Mr Khosrowshahi recently joined Uber from Expedia, after his predecessor,  Travis Kalanick – who founded Uber around eight years ago – resigned in the face of shareholder outrage over company culture.
He admitted that the company had “got things wrong”, apologised for the “mistakes we’ve made” and asked that TfL give Uber the opportunity “to make things right”.
Mr Khosrowshahi recently joined Uber from Expedia after Uber founder Travis Kalanick resigned as boss in the face of shareholder outrage over company culture.
In addition to the TfL ban, Mr Khosrowshahi is also juggling legal suits alleging the company stole self-driving technology from Google parent Alphabet and a bribery investigation in Asia.In addition to the TfL ban, Mr Khosrowshahi is also juggling legal suits alleging the company stole self-driving technology from Google parent Alphabet and a bribery investigation in Asia.
Uber’s current licence expires on 30 September. It has just under three weeks to appeal the decision, during which time it can continue to operate. TfL on Friday gave the company 21 days to appeal the decision not to extend the licence, during which time Uber can continue to operate.
An estimated 3.5 million people use Uber in London and if the decision stands, it could put more than 40,000 licensed drivers out of work.An estimated 3.5 million people use Uber in London and if the decision stands, it could put more than 40,000 licensed drivers out of work.