Uber London ban: Petition calling on ban to be reversed backed by record 500k supporters in 24-hours

A petition set up by Uber urging Transport for London to reconsider stripping the firm of its licence has been signed by a record number of people.

TfL announced the shock decision not to renew the taxi-hailing app company’s licence in the capital on Friday.

The transport body ruled that Uber was “not fit and proper” to hold a private hire licence and had shown a “lack of corporate responsibility” in relation to public safety.

The firm immediately announced plans to appeal the decision and set up an online petition calling for support from their 3.5 million customers in London.

By Saturday lunchtime, a record-breaking 500,000 people had put forward their signatures, making it the fastest growing online petition set up this year.

It read: “By wanting to ban our app from the capital, Transport for London and their chairman the Mayor have given in to a small number of people who want to restrict consumer choice.

If this decision stands, it will put more than 40,000 licensed drivers out of work and deprive millions of Londoners of a convenient and affordable form of transport.”

Referring to Mr Khan’s “London is open” slogan, it went on: “This ban shows the world that London is far from being open and is closed to innovative companies, who bring choice to consumers and work opportunities to those who need them.”

The petition was shared by thousands of people on social media with the hashtag #saveyourUber.

Kajal Odedra, UK director at Change.org said: "That is the fastest growing petition we've seen in the UK this year.

"The speed with which this grew shows how powerful online campaigning can be.

"In just 24 hours we've seen hundreds of thousands of people start and sign petitions on either side of the Uber/TFL debate."

Londoners backing the petition hit out at TfL for leaving them with little choice other than to use “rip off” black cabs and accused officials of crushing innovative companies.

Uber’s licence expires on Saturday, September 30 from which date the firm will have 21 days to appeal.

TfL said on Friday that the app will remain active in London until the “appeal process is exhausted”.

When TfL proposed strict new private hire rules that would have limited Uber’s operations in 2015, more than 200,000 people signed a petition against them and most of the proposals were dropped.

In Friday’s ruling, TfL raised concerns over Uber’s approach to reporting serious criminal offences and how it obtained enhanced criminal records checks for drivers.

In August the firm was accused by police of allowing a driver who allegedly sexually assaulted a passenger to strike again by not reporting it.

Weeks later the vetting process for thousands of drivers offering the under-fire service was declared invalid, after TfL decided minicab firms had to use its chosen contractor to apply for a DBS check.

It flagged up Uber’s approach to how medical certificates were obtained - for example drivers using an online GP service via video rather than having a check in person as the regulations insist.

The transport body also queried Uber’s use of Greyball software, which could be used to block regulators’ access to the app.

Mr Khan said: “I want London to be at the forefront of innovation and new technology and to be a natural home for exciting new companies that help Londoners by providing a better and more affordable service.

“However, all companies in London must play by the rules and adhere to the high standard we expect – particularly when it comes to the safety of customers. Providing an innovative service must not be at the expense of customer safety and security.

“I fully support TfL’s decision - it would be wrong if TfL continued to licence Uber if there is any way that this could pose a threat to Londoners’ safety and security. Any operators or private hire services in London need to play by the rules”.

Tom Elvidge, General Manager of Uber in London, said: “3.5 million Londoners who use our app, and more than 40,000 licensed drivers who rely on Uber to make a living, will be astounded by this decision.

“By wanting to ban our app from the capital Transport for London and the Mayor have caved in to a small number of people who want to restrict consumer choice. If this decision stands, it will put more than 40,000 licensed drivers out of work and deprive Londoners of a convenient and affordable form of transport.

“To defend the livelihoods of all those drivers, and the consumer choice of millions of Londoners who use our app, we intend to immediately challenge this in the courts.

“Uber operates in more than 600 cities around the world, including more than 40 towns and cities here in the UK. This ban would show the world that, far from being open, London is closed to innovative companies who bring choice to consumers.”