Uber Loses Operating License in Another U.K. City

Uber blames it on a paperwork error, report says.

byStephen Edelstein|
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As it works to regain its London operator license, Uber has lost the ability to operate in a second U.K. city. Sheffield, England suspended Uber's operator license last Friday after the company failed to respond to questions from local authorities, according to Reuters.

Uber can continue operating in Sheffield until Dec. 18, the Sheffield City Council said in a statement. If the company files an appeal, it will also be able to continue operating in the city as long as the appeals process is ongoing. Uber has already filed an appeal in London, and so it continues to operate in the British capital.

Uber said that it submitted an application for a new license on Oct. 16. Local authorities submitted requests for additional information regarding how the company managed its service in Sheffield, but Uber claims it did not receive those requests.

"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," an Uber spokesperson told Reuters. If the issue can't be resolved before the Dec. 18 deadline, the company will submit an appeal in order to allow its drivers to keep working in Sheffield, the spokesperson said.

Meanwhile, Uber will head to court in London next week to try to win back its license to operate in the British capital city. Transport for London, the city's transportation agency, declined to renew Uber's operator license at the end of September, citing concerns over policies for background checks and the procedure for reporting crimes committed by Uber drivers.

Despite an apology from CEO Dara Khosrowshahi, Uber may have a hard time getting its license reinstated. London Mayor Sadiq Khan recently said the process could take years. Uber is facing increased scrutiny in cities around the world, which until now have generally allowed the company and other ride-sharing services to operate with fewer regulations than taxi companies.

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