Amid Greyball and hack cover-up, app biz isn't endearing itself
A contrite Uber told Westminster Magistrates' Court today that it "fully accepts" last year's decision by Transport for London (TfL) to revoke its taxi operating licence as "justified".
TfL, the capital's transport regulator, wants the ban upheld, in part because of fears that spy-on-regulators tech Greyball was used in London.
TfL yanked Uber's licence to operate its ride-hailing app last year because it was not satisfied that the firm was, legally, a "fit and proper person" to run private hire cabs in London.
A taxi firm whose licence has been revoked by TfL can continue to operate until the outcome of any appeal....MUCH MORE (it gets worse)
TfL opposes Uber's appeal. Its barrister, Martin Chamberlain, told the court in his written submissions that it should take Uber's "historic conduct into account, when determining whether it is now a fit and proper person to hold a PHV operator's licence".
Barristers Tom de le Mare QC and Ranjit Bhose QC will tell the court on behalf of Uber that the taxi-app-cum-operator welcomes "the opportunity to continue to demonstrate its fitness and propriety, and is committed to trying to do that every day".
No, you cannot carry out eye tests by video link
Uber's written submissions included the staggering admission that its drivers were taking eye tests over a video-call-your-doctor service called Push Doctor. It said: "[Tom] Elvidge [head of Uber UK and Ireland] accepts that, with hindsight, the eye tests offered by the Push Doctor service may not have been adequate." TfL insisted to the company that these medical checks "could only be conducted in person"....
