Uber ban: More than 500,000 people sign petition against TfL decision

More than 500,000 people have signed a petition calling for Transport for London (TfL) to reverse its decision to stop Uber operating in the capital.

TfL said on Friday that Uber was “not fit and proper” to function in the city, saying it made the decision on the grounds of “public safety and security implications”.

The move triggered fierce debate, with unions hailing a “historic” victory, while supporters of the sprawling minicab firm argued it shut down fair competition.

The Change.org petition against the decision had amassed more than 512,300 signatures by Saturday morning.

The petition, written by Uber London, 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.

“This decision is affecting the real lives of a huge number of honest and hard-working drivers in London.”

The petition continued: “This ban shows the world that London is far from being open and is closed to innovative companies.”

A union representing Uber drivers said its members face going bust as they rely on money from fares to pay for their cars.

Uber enables users to book cars using their smartphones and is available in more than 40 towns and cities across the UK.

Despite its popularity, there had been growing speculation the app could be banned in the city.

Opponents of the firm claim it causes gridlocked roads and does not do enough to regulate drivers.

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said he wants London to be “at the forefront of innovation and new technology” but insisted that companies must “play by the rules”.

He went on: “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 license Uber if there is any way that this could pose a threat to Londoners’ safety and security.

“Any operator of private hire services in London needs to play by the rules.”

Uber’s general manager in London, Tom Elvidge, claimed users of its app “will be astounded by this decision”.

He said: “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.

“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.”

James Farrar, chairman of the Independent Workers’ Union of Great Britain’s United Private Hire Drivers branch, described the decision as a “devastating blow” for its members who “now face losing their job and being saddled with unmanageable vehicle-related debt”.

Last month, Uber was accused by police of allowing a driver who sexually assaulted a passenger to strike again by not reporting the attack, along with other serious crimes.

In a strongly-worded letter, Inspector Neil Billany of the Metropolitan Police’s taxi and private hire team suggested the company was putting concerns for its reputation over public safety.

Uber has overcome obstacles in a number of cities around the world.

It was banned in New Delhi, India, after a driver was accused of raping a female passenger, but the decision was later overturned.

The company pulled out of Austin, Texas, when it was told its drivers would have to undergo fingerprint background checks, but resumed services after the requirement was ended.

Press Association contributed to this report