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Uber wins challenge against London operating license refusal

FILE - In this Aug. 16, 2019 file photo, the logo for Uber appears above a trading post on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange. (AP Photo/Richard Drew, file)

LONDON (AP) — Uber can keep operating in London after the ride-hailing company won a court appeal on Monday against the refusal by transit regulators to renew its license.

The U.S. company had challenged Transport for London’s decision in late 2019 not to renew its private hire vehicle (PHV) operating license over safety concerns involving imposter drivers.

“Despite their historical faillings, I find them, now, to be a fit and proper person to hold a London PHV operator’s license,” Deputy Chief Magistrate Tanweek Ikram wrote in his decision.

Uber was allowed to continue operating while the appeal was underway. The decision came after a four-day hearing at Westminster Magistrates’ Court earlier this month.

Transport for London had decided two years ago to reject Uber’s application for a new license, citing several breaches that placed passengers and their safety at risk. The regulator noted, among other things, that unauthorized drivers were able to carry out thousands of rides by uploading their photos to other driver accounts.