Businesses in London are split in their attitude towards Uber and other ride-hailing apps, a new poll has revealed.
London Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) surveyed more than 500 companies and found that 46 per cent support Transport for London’s decision to reject Uber’s application for a new licence, while 38 per cent are opposed to it.
Three in five (61 per cent) say that new technology and providers in the taxi and private hire industry have benefited businesses and consumers while one in five (18 per cent) disagree with this statement.
The survey also found that 42 per cent prefer Uber and other private hire vehicles over taxis for business purposes, while a similar proportion (41 per cent) say they do not.
LCCI chief executive Colin Stanbridge said: “We hear from our businesses that they welcome innovation and new ways of working. We certainly support competition and the improvements it can often bring to industries.
“However, all businesses, in all sectors, always need to remember that they have to operate to high standards and deliver excellent customer service.”
Uber is currently appealing TfL’s decision in September to ban its app on safety and regulatory grounds.
In December, the European Court of Justice also ruled that Uber must be regulated as a transportation service, requiring it to accept stricter regulation and licensing within the EU.
Matteo De Renzi, the UK CEO of rival taxi app Gett, told BusinessCloud in a recent interview that Uber’s customers in London are likely to bear the brunt of increased regulatory costs.
“I do expect Uber to fix their situation – but I expect there will be an impact on their fares if they want to pass that on to their passengers,” he said.
“It will level the playing field from a competition standpoint.”