Uber will argue in court on Monday that it is “fit and proper” to operate in London, after regulators stripped it of a license last year that could halt its presence in the British capital.
Regulator Transport for London (TFL) accused Uber last year of showing a “lack of corporate responsibility” in relation to “public safety and security.” It failed to renew a license that would allow the U.S. ride-hailing service to operate in London.
Uber has been allowed to operate in London since it appealed the ban in October. Chief Executive Dara Khosrowshahi has visited London and met with the regulators to try and placate concerns, but TFL has not changed its stance.
Uber will head to Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Monday to kick off an appeal to overturn the ban in a hearing likely to last a few days.
The firm, which has major investors from Goldman Sachs to SoftBank and is valued north of $60 billion, will argue that it has made big changes to address TFL’s concerns.
Uber has agreed to report serious incidents to the police rather than leaving it up to riders and drivers to do so. Another major move was the introduction of a driver hours policy in January — a driver on the app must take an uninterrupted six-hour break after 10 hours of driving.
London is one of Uber’s most crucial markets. More than 3.6 million people in London regularly use the Uber app, and around 45,000 drivers use the service.
The ride-hailing giant is seeking an 18-month license rather than a five-year one like it asked for last year to prove to regulators that it has changed.
Even once the judge makes a decision, either side could theoretically appeal again, meaning the battle over Uber’s future in London could continue after the court hearing.
Uber has faced backlash in many major cities in Europe from established taxi firms and regulators.
Current Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi took over the reigns last year from founder Travis Kalanick, whose leadership was fraught with scandals involving allegations of sexism and bullying. Khosrowshahi has been cleaning up the company, particularly as it prepares for a massive initial public offering in 2019.
Khosrowshahi told CNBC in a recent interview that Uber is on track to go public next year.
