The US ride-hailing app Uber have had their licence revoked in London, writes Katie Hopkins. Pictured is a black cab driver celebrating the news today
Finally, some good news for London. The US ride-hailing app Uber have had their licence revoked in London.
We could use a little positivity around here. London has felt like a very dark place of late.
In August, a man charged at police officers with a four-foot sword outside of Buckingham Palace yelling Allah Akbar.
According to reports, his intended target was Windsor Castle. But an error with his Satnav meant he ended up at the palace, and launched his attack there instead.
It would be funny, if it weren’t so tragic.
Mohiussunnath Chowdhury, 26 was an Uber driver, one of the 40,000 working for the company in the capital.
Mr Chowdhury is not the only Uber driver to be accused of a violent crime.
Figures, obtained by the Daily Mail via a Freedom of Information request, suggest the number of sex attacks involving Uber drivers in London could now be running at one a week, having increased by 50 per cent in a year.
Between February 2015 and February 2016, there were 32 sexual assault claims made against Uber drivers in London. In the 12 months to February 2017, that figure rose to 48 alleged offences.
Scotland Yard says it is possible some accused drivers could have been incorrectly identified as working for Uber, or were not working for Uber at the time of the alleged offence. But by any measure, the figures are terrifyingly high.
Figures, obtained by the Daily Mail via a Freedom of Information request, suggest the number of sex attacks involving Uber drivers in London could now be running at one a week
And the truth is that young girls are using these cars to get home late at night, falling asleep in the back of vehicles driven by men who they don’t know, and who have not been vetted according to the standards expected by other firms.
In July, another Uber-maniac was jailed for 12 years for attacks on three separate women in London. He groped two and raped the third, cutting off their underwear with a knife after they fell asleep in the back of his cab,’
Can you even imagine your daughter waking up to that? I have campaign against the firm for the last three years, precisely because of these fears.
Clearly not all 40,000 drivers are like this. And I feel compassion for the honest drivers who just want a job for their families.
I am certain they will be absorbed by other reputable firms and their lives will improve for the better.
But the risk of rape is not a numbers game. The company has failed to protect women, repeatedly.
I congratulate Sadiq Khan for doing the right thing, and I am delighted to thank him for it
It’s the reason I tell my children never to get in an Uber. It is the reason I have never booked one in the UK and never will.
I tell my girls – if you are ever in trouble, you get in a black cab. They will look after you.
I believe the British black cabs are the capital’s second police force.
To my they are the silent saviours on the streets, scooping people up, returning them to their homes, refusing fares if they think the journey was about keeping someone safe or if you are in trouble.
They have scooped me up with my arm in a sling many times, and every time I have to fight to pay my fee.
Their charity work for our veterans is outstanding. All paid for from their own pockets. This what service really means.
And for the first time in a long time, I feel our leaders are listening. Suddenly, they are on our side. I congratulate Sadiq Khan for doing the right thing, and I am delighted to thank him for it.
Whether he has been motivated by the voting block of the GMB, or the safety of our girls matters not. Uber do not have a licence.
They are appealing the decision. And will continue to operate until the matter is resolved. But this is still a step in the right direction, and a very public warning to all users – that Uber is not considered safe.
I received a tweet from one young lady, cross with me for celebrating Uber’s demise in the UK.
‘As a girl, uber makes travelling alone more safe, and it’s cheap so no need to walk in the dark. So this isn’t to be celebrated, Katie’.
And of course, she has a point. It is all very well banning something, but if there is no replacement at the same price point, arguably we are exposing girls to even greater risk getting home without a ride.
Most black cabbies acknowledge they need to move with the times, modernise their offering and be a cost-effective, responsive service
And others have piled in with the arguments about the free market. If conservatives like me love competition and the free market so much, why support the removal the operator disrupting the black cab monopoly and providing a cheaper service.
Clearly the free market matters. And competition is everything.
Most black cabbies acknowledge they need to move with the times, modernise their offering and be a cost-effective, responsive service capable of being booked via an app where the driver doesn’t moan about life for the whole trip.
We must embrace innovation if we are to move forwards and provide better services for all.
But all black cabs ever wanted was a level playing field. The market can only be free if everyone is operating by the same rule book. Otherwise it is easy to cheat at the game.
And that is what has happened at Uber. Innovation has come at the expense of safety. And at the expense of humane treatment of the decent drivers, with no sick pay, holiday entitlement or paid leave.
All black cabs ever wanted was a level playing field. The market can only be free if everyone is operating by the same rule book
Sadiq says ‘It would be simply wrong for TfL to continue to licence Uber if there was any way this could pose a threat to Londoners’ safety or security.
TfL has said it believes Uber’s conduct demonstrates a lack of corporate responsibility around a number of issues that have potential public safety and security implications.
These include Uber’s approach to reporting serious criminal offences, and the way it obtains medical certificates and security checks (Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service) for their drivers.
All private-hire operators in London need to play by the rules. The safety and security of customers must be paramount.
Revoking the Uber licence is not a decision against the free market or competition. It is the need to have a common set of rules for everyone to play by.
Soon 40,000 drivers will need a job. And to achieve one, they will need to prove a clean criminal history and the same medical and security checks as other professional drivers in the city. This can only be a good thing.
How many drivers currently engaged by Uber will actually meet the safety standards required by a black cabbie? I estimate the figure will be lower than 5%. I look forward to being proved wrong.
In the interim, the market can incentivise other ride providers to get creative. Gett and mytaxi has a perfect opportunity to recruit new loyal customers to their service offering.
And the black cab trade has a major incentive to become the provider of choice – including all trips south of the river.
In March 2015, I met with Jo Bertram, Uber’s Regional General Manager for Northern Europe to ask her why Uber seem to have such a blatant disregard for security checks, criminal records and driver vetting.
Revoking the Uber licence is not a decision against the free market or competition. It is the need to have a common set of rules for everyone to play by
I asked why Uber didn’t provide a service for those in wheelchairs, or with guide dogs. And I asked her why she thought Uber were above the rules.
And to every question, she relied, people have a choice. And that Uber provide one of the cheapest, easiest, and most convenient car services on the market. If people don’t like it, they can go elsewhere.
The message was crystal clear. Like it or lump it.
They were the big market disrupter. Only they exchanged safety and security of passengers for bigger margins and more profit.
And now, finally, that racket will be shut down. And as Jo rightly suggested to me, people can go elsewhere. I hope they choose our black cabs.
For the first time in a long time, I feel like London got a little bit safer. And for the black cabbies and women, I couldn’t be more thrilled.