Uber ban suspended: Berlin court upholds opposition to taxi app prohibition
Uber has received some welcome news from Berlin's Administrative Court.
Last week, the Berlin State Department of Civil and Regulatory Affairs said Uber risked passenger safety through the use of “unverified drivers in unlicensed vehicles” and consequently banned the popular taxi app.
The company had been threatened with fines of up to €25,000 for each violation of the ban. Individual Uber drivers could face €20,000 fines if they continue to carry on their business.
Uber has today revealed on the company's Berlin blog that the court has upheld the opposition to the ban and ordered its suspension. The court's decision mirrored that of the German city of Hamburg when a court suspended a ban on UberPop by local regulators. UberPop is a service offered in several European cities where the company connects riders and drivers to make better use of the costs of their car.
Fabien Nestmann, spokesman Uber Germany, commenting on the company's blog, said:
This is good news for the great people of Berlin and the thousands of German citizens already benefitting from Uber’s great services. We’re delighted to continue to bring our fresh and new ride-sharing service UberPOP plus our licensed limo service, UberBlack to Berlin and other cities in Germany, as we challenge the old policies that were written before the smartphone was even invented. Uber’s number one priority is safety and we would like to underline that every driver on the Uber platform is insured.
Today’s news supports freedom of choice and progress, as Uber seeks to bring better, safer and cheaper transport options to everyone.
In June, Uber faced a wave of protests across Europe from the established taxi industry. London's black cabs brought large parts of the city to a standstill, while taxi drivers in Berlin, Milan and other major European cities joined together in their condemnation of the San Franciso company.