←back to thread

Uber loses licence to operate in London, will still operate while appealing

(www.bbc.com)
256 points reubensutton | 3 comments | 25 Nov 19 10:19 UTC | HN request time: 0.001s | source
Show context
readhn ◴[25 Nov 19 13:49 UTC] No.21628057[source]▶
On one hand i am glad that a transnational company is getting stopped like that, especially when breaking the rules. they are basically a giant money hoover that comes in and sucks the money offshore with offshore interests as #1 priority.

on the other hand, often it often takes an outsider to disrupt a well established and corrupt market in order to move it forward.

replies(7): >>21628084 #>>21628087 #>>21628163 #>>21628172 #>>21628241 #>>21628269 #>>21628272 #
1. cnorthwood ◴[25 Nov 19 14:13 UTC] No.21628241[source]▶
I'm not entirely sure it's fair to say that London's minicab market was particularly corrupt. Uber's real success in London was marketing and investment meaning that it'd could grow rapidly, I believe Addison Lee had a booking app concept at the time, so not even that was particularly new.
replies(1): >>21629108 #
2. tomatocracy ◴[25 Nov 19 15:47 UTC] No.21629108[source]▶
Addison Lee is often more expensive than a black cab though. It's really more of a premium car service than a minicab firm.
replies(1): >>21631008 #
3. PaulRobinson ◴[25 Nov 19 18:12 UTC] No.21631008[source]▶
As a regular used of "Addy Lee", I've found that's not normally true if you go for the standard cards (the Ford Galaxy): from my home to Euston is about £20 in an Uber, £35 in a black cab, and about £25 in an AL.

Given Addison Lee is not VC subsidised, you have to wonder how they're getting the price down, but I always choose AL when I can.