London’s public transport authority has banned Uber rival Ola from operating in the capital because it failed to properly ensure passenger safety.
The India-owned app company only launched into the crowded London taxi market this February, competing against black cabs, chains like Addison Lee and app-driven rivals including Bolt and Kapten.
Transport for London (TfL) said in a statement that it refused to grant Ola a new London private hire vehicle operator's licence as it “cannot find it fit and proper to hold one after discovering a number of failures that could have risked public safety”.
Last week, Uber Technologies Inc (NYSE:UBER) was granted a new London licence following a similar ban due to safety concerns.
In a ruling on Monday, a Westminster magistrate said despite the company’s “historical failings”, Uber was now a “fit and proper operator” to hold a licence in the capital, though the length of its licence could still be up for dispute.