Uber's London licence battle set for May/June

Uber's appeal against losing its licence in London will be heard in May or June next year, a court determined Monday.

London's transport authority said in September that it would not renew the ride-hailing company's licence to operate in the British capital owing to public safety concerns.

Transport for London claims that the conduct of Uber, which has about 40,000 drivers and 3.5 million customers in the city, had raised concerns.

Parties for Uber and TfL appeared at Westminster Magistrates Court in London for a case management hearing on Monday.

A full appeal hearing is expected to take place in either May or June next year, said England's Chief Magistrate Emma Arbuthnot. The date is yet to be set.

Uber can continue to operate in London pending the appeal.

Hearings will be held on December 19 and 20 to decide whether the GMB trade union and the Licensed Taxi Drivers' Association can have formal participation in the case.

The way Uber reports serious criminal offences and obtains criminal record checks for its drivers contributed to TfL's decision.

The smartphone app has said it is "determined to make things right in London".

Uber operates in more than 40 cities around Britain.

On Thursday, Sheffield in northern England suspended Uber's licence for failing to respond to requests for information about its management.

Uber will be allowed to continue operating in Sheffield until December 18 and, if it chooses to appeal the suspension, it can function until that has been heard.

source: AFP