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| Taxi-hailing firm Ola starts operating in Wales | Taxi-hailing firm Ola starts operating in Wales |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Indian taxi-hailing giant Ola begins operating in the UK on Monday. | Indian taxi-hailing giant Ola begins operating in the UK on Monday. |
| The company, a challenge to taxi app giant Uber, has launched a "soft pilot" in south Wales before it plans to expand into Greater Manchester next. | The company, a challenge to taxi app giant Uber, has launched a "soft pilot" in south Wales before it plans to expand into Greater Manchester next. |
| Ola, which has 125 million customers around the world, is now in Cardiff, Newport and the Vale of Glamorgan. | |
| The firm was founded in 2011 and Ola's UK boss Ben Legg says his company will pay drivers more money than Uber and will offer work to licensed drivers. | The firm was founded in 2011 and Ola's UK boss Ben Legg says his company will pay drivers more money than Uber and will offer work to licensed drivers. |
| Ola previously operated in two countries after adding Australia to its Indian operation earlier this year and the UK will be its third. | Ola previously operated in two countries after adding Australia to its Indian operation earlier this year and the UK will be its third. |
| The company said it hoped to expand across the UK by the end of 2018. | The company said it hoped to expand across the UK by the end of 2018. |
| Ola, which has a presence in 110 cities, said it would be the only ride-hailing app in south Wales to offer customers the option of private hire vehicles and black taxis on one platform. | Ola, which has a presence in 110 cities, said it would be the only ride-hailing app in south Wales to offer customers the option of private hire vehicles and black taxis on one platform. |
| Mr Legg, Ola UK's managing director, claimed his firm will pay drivers more money, offer work to licensed taxi drivers, provide "much better safety" and work more alongside local government. | Mr Legg, Ola UK's managing director, claimed his firm will pay drivers more money, offer work to licensed taxi drivers, provide "much better safety" and work more alongside local government. |
| Uber told a court earlier this year it accepted its London operating licence should not have been renewed in 2017 but said there has been "wholesale change" since then. | Uber told a court earlier this year it accepted its London operating licence should not have been renewed in 2017 but said there has been "wholesale change" since then. |
| Mr Legg said the Ola app had features which allow passengers to alert police and loved ones at the touch of a button. | Mr Legg said the Ola app had features which allow passengers to alert police and loved ones at the touch of a button. |
| "This is an exciting moment for everyone at Ola and we are very pleased that south Wales is where we will be starting our UK journey," said Mr Legg. | "This is an exciting moment for everyone at Ola and we are very pleased that south Wales is where we will be starting our UK journey," said Mr Legg. |
| "Over recent weeks, Ola has received positive feedback from drivers in south Wales and looks forward to providing passengers with a dynamic, new responsible service." | "Over recent weeks, Ola has received positive feedback from drivers in south Wales and looks forward to providing passengers with a dynamic, new responsible service." |
| This move is the first serious challenge in the UK to market-leading taxi-hailing app Uber, which was founded two years earlier than Ola, has three million drivers and operates in 600 cities in 65 countries. | This move is the first serious challenge in the UK to market-leading taxi-hailing app Uber, which was founded two years earlier than Ola, has three million drivers and operates in 600 cities in 65 countries. |