Uber 'ready to change its attitude', MPs told
"The company accepts that in lots of places it has had the wrong attitude and needs to change," Uber's head of public policy says.
Wednesday 11 October 2017 07:16, UK
Uber says it accepts it has shown "the wrong attitude" on a number of issues and is ready to change some practices.
The company's head of public policy Andrew Byrne told the House of Commons Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee he believes there is a "path forward" towards resolving its dispute with Transport for London and receiving permission to continue operating in the capital.
The committee meeting comes after on the grounds of "public safety and security implications" relating to issues such as the reporting of serious criminal offences.
"The company accepts that in lots of places it has had the wrong attitude and needs to change," Mr Byrne told MPs.
"There was a high strength of feeling from people in the business, but I think we have got to the place where we accept we need to do more to address TfL's concerns.
"I think we are very conscious of the fact that 40,000 people do earn money through Uber in London. That fact weighs very heavily on our response.
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"But hopefully we can see a path forward now with TfL where we can address their concerns and continue to operate."
Mr Byrne said Uber's technology enables the company to "be far more helpful in holding people to account with police investigations than a traditional private hire operator or taxi company".
He added the firm is considering a policy which would block drivers from taking fares for more than 10-12 hours during a 24-hour period, in order to reduce the risk of them driving tired.