Uber London needs to file its license appeal this week – what will happen if it doesn’t?

Today marks the deadline for Uber London to file its license appeal after Transport for London (TfL) revoked it last month.

If the ride-sharing startup’s London subsidiary doesn’t file the appeal in time, it will cease to operate in London on Friday 13 October.

Uber lost its private operating license in the UK’s capital city after the transport regulator raised concerns over the way it had failed to report serious criminal offences and its policy over Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks.

TfL has concluded that Uber London Limited is not fit and proper to hold a private hire operator license.

What has happened since the ruling?

TfL made its ruling on 22 September, giving the startup three weeks to file an appeal. Uber has continued to operate in the city during this time. If it does file its appeal today, it will be allowed to operate during the appeals process.

This could take up to two years.

Verdict Email The issues you care about

Last week, Uber’s new chief executive Dara Khosrowshahi metwith the commissioner of TfL, Mike Brown, to discuss ways for the startup to regain its license.

On the day of the meeting, Khosrowshahi tweeted an image of himself with some of the company’s drivers in London

Uber answers to MPs

This week, Uber and other gig economy startups like Deliveroo, were in front of the UK government’s business select committee to answer questions over workers’ rights.

This comes after the publication of the Taylor Report, which called for better treatment of self-employed workers.

During the hearing, the startup’s head of public policy, Andrew Bryne, said that Uber had shown “the wrong attitude” on a number of issues.

Byrne added that there was now a path forward with TfL to address the regulator’s concerns.

What do Uber drivers think?

According to posts on the online forum UberPeople, which is not affiliated with the company, drivers are saying they think the startup will get its operating license back.

The Telegraph reported that the company has hired a “TfL nemesis lawyer” to lead its appeal. The lawyer, Thomas de la Mare, has fought battles on Uber’s behalf against the regulator before