Uber Sheffield ban: Minicab app firm's licence suspended in second UK city

Stripped of its licence in Sheffield: Uber
AFP/Getty Images
Hatty Collier7 December 2017

Uber's licence to operate in Sheffield has been suspended in another blow to the ride-hailing firm.

The minicab firm’s licence to operate in the northern city was suspended last Friday after it failed to respond to requests about the management of the taxi app, Sheffield City Council said.

The firm can continue to operate until December 18 and if it chooses to appeal the suspension, it can still run until that appeal is heard, the local authority said in a statement.

"If it decides against an appeal the suspension will come into force," the council said.

Uber blamed its failure to respond to Sheffield City Council on an “administrative error” and said that the authority had sent letters to an incorrect address.

It said it had submitted an application for a new licence on October 16 which is still being processed.

An Uber spokesman said: "We informed Sheffield City Council on October 5 that we would need to change the name on our licence as the named individual would soon be leaving the company. The council told us they couldn’t change the name on the licence, as most other councils have done, and that we would instead have to apply for a new one.

“We submitted an application for a new licence on October 16 which continues to be processed. While we are in regular contact with the council, we did not receive the correspondence the council refers to as they sent the letters to an incorrect address. We hope this administrative error can be quickly resolved so we can continue serving tens of thousands of riders and drivers in Sheffield.

“If the new application can’t be resolved by December 18 we will of course submit an appeal so we can continue to serve people in Sheffield.”

Uber was sensationally stripped of its licence to operate in London in September. TfL found it was "not fit and proper" to hold a licence.

The minicab firm is appealing the decision and can continue to operate in the capital until the appeal process ends.

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