Uber has been granted a four-month licence to continue working in London while regulators debate whether to allow the taxi firm to stay in the capital.
The app-hire firm was first granted a licence to operate in London in 2012, but has proved controversial among London’s traditional cabbies for its working practices with City Hall facing calls to ban the app.
The GMB union threatened legal action earlier this month, claiming the firm’s business model sees drivers work excessive hours “to the detriment of the health and safety” of them and other road users.
The final decision on whether to grant Uber a licence will be made by Transport for London (TfL) in the coming months.
Uber has said it is “looking forward” to keeping London moving.
Steve McNamara, general secretary of the Licensed Taxi Drivers’ Association, told the Guardian: “Uber has still not answered questions that TFL asked months ago.
“We say they are either safe to licence or they’re not. You can’t be a little bit pregnant.
“We think that TfL’s reason for this temporary licence is unlawful. This is totally unprecedented.”
A spokesman for TfL said: “Uber London Limited has been granted a four month private hire operator licence. This will allow us to conclude our consideration of a five year licence.”
TfL is currently running a consultation into private hire cars on London’s streets, which closes in June.
It could licence fees see the private hire operators rise dramatically, from about £3,000 over a five-year period to more than £2m.
An Uber spokesperson said: “Millions of Londoners rely on Uber to get a reliable ride at the touch of a button and thousands of licensed drivers make money through our app. We look forward to continuing to help keep London moving.”
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