A massive backlash has started after Uber was today stripped of its licence to operate in London with hundreds of thousands of passengers signing a petition to keep the app running.

Transport for London (TfL) sensationally announced the firm would be barred from working in the city from next month due to its failure to report crimes carried out by its drivers.

The Silicon Valley firm - which boasts more than 5billion passengers in over 630 cities worldwide - fears the decision by regulators in London may now encourage authorities in other countries to launch their own crackdowns.

Passengers are outraged by the bombshell announcement, which they say will leave them unable to afford late-night lifts home and will put thousands of drivers out of work.

Ahead of a planned appeal, which will see the dispute dragged into court, at least 400,000 Londoners have signed a petition calling for the decision to be reversed.

But critics of Uber insist it has failed to properly vet its drivers and is an example of the so-called 'gig economy' that gives workers no employment rights.

Uber's private hire licence will not be renewed after a bombshell decision by TfL today

A black cab driver celebrates outside Paddington station today after the decision to strip Uber of its licence in London was announced

Worried Uber drivers and angry passengers today joined a growing chorus of criticism - with delighted cabbies rejoicing at the potential downfall of their fiercest competitor.

Father-of-three Bangalie, who has been driving for the company for almost a year, fears he could be forced to claim benefits if Uber's appeal is not successful.

He said: 'My family are worried about the future of my job, even if I go on benefits I will not get the same amount of money.

'I have bills and rent to pay and mouths to feed, if I cannot do that there is going to be a problem. I could be signing up for job seekers in less than two weeks time.'

Passenger Lucy Williams, 30, from London, said: 'It's terrible, I get Ubers like three times a week and they've saved me a lot of money from black cabs.'

But black cab driver Kenneth Stein, 54, said: 'I have nothing against Uber drivers but we as black cab drivers are regulated to the hilt while they have next to no regulation.'

More than 140,000 people have signed a petition calling for the decision to be reversed

Uber said in a statement that the decision would 'show the world that, far from being open, London is closed to innovative companies'. The firm's current licence expires on September 30.

As part of their fightback, they are emailing all of their members individually to urge them to sign the petition.

At 4pm this afternoon, the number of signatures was rising at a rate of 2,000-a-minute.

But the firm has faced a barrage of criticism in recent years over the safety of customers, working rights for drivers and opposition from black cab drivers.

TfL concluded that the minicab app is 'not fit and proper' to operate in the capital due to concerns which have 'public safety and security implications'.

Transport for London said: 'TfL considers that Uber's approach and conduct demonstrate a lack of corporate responsibility in relation to a number of issues which have potential public safety and security implications.'

Mayor of Sadiq Khan, who was not involved in the decision but supports it, said: 'All companies in London must play by the rules and adhere to the high standards we expect - particularly when it comes to the safety of customers.

'Providing an innovative service must not be at the expense of customer safety and security.'

Transport for London announced the decision in this tweet, which is said to have been posted just one minute after it informed the firm

The decision is another etback for the firm, which has previously been banned by other cities

Confirming Uber would appeal against the decision in court, Tom Elvidge, the firm's general manager in London, said: '3.5 million Londoners who use our app, and more than 40,000 licensed drivers who rely on Uber to make a living, will be astounded by this decision.

'By wanting to ban our app from the capital Transport for London and the Mayor have caved in to a small number of people who want to restrict consumer choice.

'If this decision stands, it will put more than 40,000 licensed drivers out of work and deprive Londoners of a convenient and affordable form of transport.

'To defend the livelihoods of all those drivers, and the consumer choice of millions of Londoners who use our app, we intend to immediately challenge this in the courts. '

He added: 'Uber operates in more than 600 cities around the world, including more than 40 towns and cities here in the UK. This ban would show the world that, far from being open, London is closed to innovative companies who bring choice to consumers.'

Many Londoners took to Twitter to complain about the TFL decision this afternoon

Others welcomed the decision by the city's authorities, saying the company was dangerous

The firm's complaints were backed by London First, which campaigns for business in the capital.

What happens now for Uber users? Uber's current licence expires on September 30, but today's ruling allows them to continue operating during the appeal process. That should mean the minicabs are still available for hiring for at least a month after September 30, while the court appeal is heard. Other similar apps are now piling in to try to mop up the customers Uber will leave behind. Advertisement

The group's David Leam said: 'This will be seen as a Luddite decision by millions of Londoners and international visitors who use Uber, and will also hit London's reputation as a global tech hub. London needs to be open to new ideas, businesses and services.'

But Labour MP Wes Streeting, chairman of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Taxis, welcomed the decision, which he said would 'draw a line in the sand'.

The Ilford North MP added: 'Uber has not shown itself to be a fit and proper operator.

'It stands accused by the police of failing to properly handle serious allegations of rape and sexual assault of passengers.

'It had to be dragged through the courts to recognise its responsibility to provide even the most basic rights and protections to Uber drivers.'

The number of private hire drivers in London has almost doubled to more than 116,000 from 65,000 in 2013/14.

Drivers of traditional black London cabs held a protest this year against the minicab app. The app was seen as unfairly undercutting black cabs due to the lack of regulation of drivers

Uber driver James Farrar said: 'This is a devastating blow for 30,000 Londoners who now face losing their job and being saddled with unmanageable vehicle-related debt.

'To strip Uber of its licence after five years of laissez-faire regulation is a testament to a systemic failure at TfL.

'Rather than banish Uber, TfL should have strengthened its regulatory oversight, curbed runaway licensing and protected the worker rights of drivers.'

The GMB union handed in a petition with 100,000 signatures on Monday to TfL, calling on Uber to improve workers' rights or 'get out of London' ahead of the licence decision.

We brought down Uber, boast shameless unions By Charlie Moore for MailOnline Shameless unions today boasted they were responsible for banning Uber, bringing misery to 40,000 drivers and 3.5million customers. After TfL announced its decision to revoke the firm's licence, Trades Union Congress General Secretary Frances O'Grady said: 'Today's ruling shows the power of union campaigning. And it's a huge result for GMB.' The ill-judged boast will fuel suspicions the decision was made to appease outdated black cab drivers who have long campaigned for their competition to be restricted or eliminated. IEA director Mark Littlewood said: 'Banning Uber, and clamping down on the Gig Economy more generally, is a restriction upon freedom of choice, both for Uber's drivers and passengers. 'In doing so, Transport for London has privileged the views of a powerful minority who wish to restrict consumer choice over the will of millions of ordinary Londoners.' 'Today's decision is an assault on drivers and customers alike, and a victory for protectionism.' Advertisement

'I could be on the dole in two weeks': Uber driver tells of worries An Uber driver today told how the decision to remove the Uber licence would leave him struggling to make ends meet. Father-of-three Bangalie has been driving for the company for almost a year after finishing an Accounting and Finance degree at Greenwich University. The 39-year-old of Woolwich, south east London, said he could be signing up for job seekers allowance in less than two weeks if the taxi company are unsuccessful in their appeal. He said: 'I finished university this year and I needed a job that was convenient for me, if I didn't have this job I would be on benefits. 'This job is great for me because I can choose when I want to work, I am only doing it while I look for a job in accounting.' Uber driver Bangalie said the decision could leave him unable to support his family He added: 'And it is so convenient for the passenger, when you jump in a black cab you do not know the driver and they could take you anywhere.' 'My family are worried about the future of my job, even if I go on benefits I will not get the same amount of money. 'I have bills and rent to pay and mouths to feed, if I cannot do that there is going to be a problem. I could be signing up for job seekers in less than two weeks time.' He insisted the service was safe, adding: 'When you get into an Uber you know the driver, you have arranged where they will pick you up and where you are going. If anything happens you can track the driver down. 'My family are worried about the future of my job, even if I go on benefits I will not get the same amount of money. 'I have bills and rent to pay and mouths to feed, if I cannot do that there is going to be a problem. I could be signing up for job seekers in less than two weeks time.' Advertisement

Black cab driver says previous system was not a level playing field Kenneth Stein said black cabs were regulated 'to the hilt' while Uber were barely checked at all A black cab driver has welcomed the prospect of Uber losing their licence in the capital blaming the company for snarling up the capital with traffic jams. Kenneth Stein, 54, claimed the firm's drivers were not subjected to the same stringent background checks as black cab drivers. Mr Stein, who has driven black cabs for 15 years, said: 'I have nothing against with Uber drivers but we as black cab drivers are regulated to the hilt while they have next to no regulation. 'Uber have 120,000 cars and the whole of London is grid locked and it's mainly because of Uber, it is just shocking. 'If they had said we'll keep it to 24,000 Uber cars that would have been fine, but 120,000 is too many. 'It's people in high places have let them get this far so it is right they have lost their licence, but don't count your chickens yet.' He added the best thing the black cab industry has done to embrace emerging technology which still relies on 'the knowledge' all drivers have to take was the introduction of card readers for customers. He added: 'How many sexual assaults per year have been reported in Uber cabs? It is probably a lot more than they have said. ' Advertisement

Passengers rue loss of choice and say minicabs are more dangerous Londoners were generally unhappy about the decision in Kensington today, insisting it will not make them safer but will leave them out of pocket. Lucy Williams, 30, from London said: 'It's terrible, I get Ubers like three times a week and they've saved me a lot of money from black cabs. 'I don't see why people have a safety problem because you watch the car on your map. I've never had any bad experiences, all my friends use them. I think it's great. Lucy Williams and Pablo Galleguillos were among the Londoners unhappy at the move She added: 'It's back to minicabs now and minicabs are the worst, you've no idea who they are or where they are or anything and they don't care about their ratings. Uber cab drivers care about their rating.' Pablo Galleguillos, 26, from Chile, added: 'I think it's really, really bad because you have to have a choice to use a taxi or use an Uber. 'I think everyone is using the phone, everyone is using the phone. I think it's really bad news. 'I've used both, normal taxis and Uber and Uber is much cheaper and they tell you the price instantly.' Michael Dedza, 25, a swimming instructor from New York, USA, said: 'I have found Uber very safe. I once lost my phone in an Uber before and you know exactly what cab it was and I contacted them and they just dropped it off the next day. 'You know the driver's name and you know they are licensed because they have to be, I'm a really big fan and I think London would be missing out if Uber lost their licence.' Emily Estlin and Michael Dedza both said they feel safe in Uber-arranged cabs Emily Estlin, 28, a sommelier in London Bridge from Hackney, east London, said: 'I get an Uber almost every day because I'm always late for work. 'It's cheaper than a black cab and I always feel totally safe in an Uber and no bad things have ever happened to me. 'If Uber lose their licence I will have to get on the bus, which would take me a lot longer and if I wanted a taxi a black cab is pretty much twice the price. I'd happily sign a petition to keep Uber, it's great.' Brendon Hurley, 28, said: 'I'm a big fan of Uber, if they weren't around I'd probably use a black cab but if there is a cheaper option you are always going to use it. 'I've just got out of the cab and the driver didn't mention the fact he might be out of a job. 'I have heard the horror stories about Uber but I've happily put my parents and friends in Uber taxis before and you are always going to get problems in some taxis, whether they are Uber's or black cabs.' App user Rimi Char, a 43-year-old event planner, added: 'I have got used to the ease and cost effectiveness of using Uber and I've always had positive experiences.' Advertisement

How Uber's reputation has been tainted by a series of cases where drivers have attacked passengers

The reputation Uber has gained for dangerous drivers has come from a series of court cases in the capital.

Scotland Yard criticised the firm after it emerged it failed to report 48 serious crimes.

In July, driver Jahir Hussain was jailed for 12 years for raping drunken women he picked up outside east London bars.

His first victim awoke to find Hussain fondling her breasts and undoing his belt on 12 October last year.

Uber drivers Jahir Hussain and Samson Haile were both jailed for sex attacks on women

The woman lay still in the back of the cab frozen in fear as he raped her, Snaresbrook Crown Court heard. Father-of-four Hussain then carried out two attacks in quick succession in the early hours of 2 December.

He wasn't working for Uber at the time of the attacks, but the first of his two victims had booked an Uber cab and he said he was the driver.

In 2015, driver Samson Haile was jailed for eight months for sexually assaulted a female customer in the back of his taxi.

During a journey, the 32-year-old told the woman 'you are very pretty' and asked her if she had a boyfriend, before saying 'I want to have sex with you'.

He then turned round in his seat and touched her leg with his hand, before moving it up to her thigh. Minutes later touched her again on the knee at which point she screamed to be let out of the car.

Earlier this year, mother Annastazia Merrett claimed she suffered a black eye in a racist assault by an Asian Uber driver who called her a 'white b****'.

Sabrina Benltaief posted photos of her injuries online after claiming an Uber motorist drove off while she was leaning into the car and left her unconscious in the street

She said she was hit twice by the driver who refused to help her open a gate after dropping her off in Elephant and Castle, South London.

Police said a community resolution was agreed upon by both parties. Uber said the driver 'strongly denied' the allegations.

Last year, a hairdresser told how she required stitches after an angry Uber driver alleged dragged her down the road.

Sabrina Benltaief, 20, of Bromley, South East London, claimed the motorist drove off while she was leaning into the car and left her unconscious in the street before she later woke up in hospital.

Uber condemned the actions but no action was taken by police.

The Met Police criticised Uber for failing to report crime due to fears for its reputation

This summer, head of the Metropolitan police's taxi and private hire unit Neil Billany said Uber seemed to be 'deciding what [crimes] to support', in a letter seen by a Sunday newspaper.

He spoke of a 'significant concern' that Uber was only reporting 'less serious matters' that would be 'less damaging to [its] reputation'.

He accused Uber of 'allowing situations to develop that clearly affect the safety and security of the public' by keeping drivers' crimes from police — including at least six sexual assaults on passengers.

'London is closed to innovative companies': Uber's furious response to the decision in full Tom Elvidge, the firm's general manager in London, said: '3.5 million Londoners who use our app, and more than 40,000 licensed drivers who rely on Uber to make a living, will be astounded by this decision. 'By wanting to ban our app from the capital Transport for London and the Mayor have caved in to a small number of people who want to restrict consumer choice. If this decision stands, it will put more than 40,000 licensed drivers out of work and deprive Londoners of a convenient and affordable form of transport. 'To defend the livelihoods of all those drivers, and the consumer choice of millions of Londoners who use our app, we intend to immediately challenge this in the courts. 'Drivers who use Uber are licensed by Transport for London and have been through the same enhanced DBS background checks as black cab drivers. Our pioneering technology has gone further to enhance safety with every trip tracked and recorded by GPS. 'We have always followed TfL rules on reporting serious incidents and have a dedicated team who work closely with the Metropolitan Police.' He added: 'Uber operates in more than 600 cities around the world, including more than 40 towns and cities here in the UK. This ban would show the world that, far from being open, London is closed to innovative companies who bring choice to consumers.' Advertisement

Will the ban go elsewhere in the UK? City authorities in other parts of the country show little appetite in taking on the global firm

UK cities where Uber operates said they were watching the London situation but had no plans to follow TfL's example.

Uber operates in 20 locations in the UK and Ireland outside of the capital, according to its website.

The travel app service launched in London in July 2012. Other cities and regions followed, including Glasgow and Edinburgh in November 2015, Belfast the following month and Cardiff in April 2016.

Other locations include Birmingham, Nottingham, Bristol, Leeds and Brighton.

A traditional London taxi and a private hire cab on the streets of London today. Uber cars may be off the streets of the capital as soon as mid-October if the company's planned appeal fails

Bristol City Council said it would 'keep a close eye on the outcome' of the dispute with TFL.

A spokesman added: 'While we note the reasons TfL have given for not renewing Uber's licence, both Uber and their drivers fully comply with all aspects of Bristol's licensing policy.

'On that basis, there is no evidence to review their current licence but we will continue to monitor the situation.'

In Manchester, the city council's executive member for neighbourhoods, Nigel Murphy, said its licensing system was 'robust' for all private hire vehicles and taxis.

He added: 'Uber Britannia - which is a separate company to Uber London - is licensed to operate in Manchester until 2021 as a private hire operator.

'As is the case with all licensees, we will continue to monitor their compliance with the conditions of their licence to operate while at the same time monitoring events as they unfold in the capital.'

Uber was refused the right to run a pilot operation with private cars in Ireland this year.

Although the ride-sharing company first appeared in the Republic about three years ago, it was told by regulators that its proposal for Limerick city would be illegal.

'If anyone suggests I'll have to speak to taxi drivers again I'll have a tantrum!' Black cab drivers are happy but most Londoners are appalled at the thought of living in the capital without Uber

The internet has reacted with a mixture of astonishment and hilarity to the shock news that Uber has been stripped of its licence to operate in London.

This morning Transport for London (TfL) announced the firm - which has between 30,000 and 40,000 drivers - would be barred from working in the city due to 'its approach to reporting criminal offences'.

Critics have blasted the move, claiming they will be unable to afford late-night lifts home and said it will put thousands of drivers out of work.

The decision got a mixed response from Londoners, with some welcoming the support for traditional black cabs, but others saying they will struggle to get around without the app

But those who back the decision say Uber failed to properly vet its employees and criticised their record on employment rights.

Uber has already said they will appeal the decision.

Within minutes of the news breaking, memes started appearing on Twitter with the hashtag #uber.

One user tweeted a picture of a black cab driver along with the caption: 'Uber are getting kicked out of London? Back to: 'End of the road? £25 mate.''

Another user posted a picture of The Only Way is Essex star Gemma Collins with a glass of wine with the words: 'Live scenes from the black cabbies conference.'

And one posted a picture of Monica and Rachel from Friends, along with the word, 'noooo'.

Actor James Franco, TV host Steve Harvey and even a South Park character all featured as the internet reacted to new Uber's London licence had been stripped

This was joined by a caption reading: 'How're we going to get places now!? If anyone suggests I'll have to speak to taxi drivers again I'll have a tantrum.'

Many jokes focussed on black cab drivers and the presumption they will now see a huge upswing in business now that their main competitor has been driven out of London.

One tweet showed a picture of Tom Cruise's character in Jerry Maguire saying the famous catchphrase 'show me the money'.

That was joined by a caption that said: 'Black cabbies right now at the news on #uber in London.'

One user posted a gif of a toddler on the floor having a tantrum alongside a crying face emoji.

Many jokes focussed on black cab drivers and the presumption they will now see a huge upswing in business now that their main competitor has been driven out of London

Uber said in a statement that the decision would 'show the world that, far from being open, London is closed to innovative companies'. The firm's current licence expires on September 30.

The firm has faced a barrage of criticism in recent years over the safety of customers, working rights for drivers and opposition from black cab drivers.

But the internet's response was a lot more light-hearted.

Another tweet showed an animated GIF of a dancing man with the caption 'black cab drivers right now #London #Uber.'

One user tweeted, 'TFL: You can not operate without a licence. It's the law.'

That was juxtaposed with a picture of a South Park character embossed with the words, 'I am above the law!'

Another posted a picture of a confused looking James Franco accompanied with the words '*Phone notification* 'Uber has been banned in London.'

Scandal-dogged company's 'scrappy' CEO quit this summer Travis Kalanick in New York yesterday The loss of the licence comes after a tumultuous few months for Uber, including a string of scandals involving allegations of sexism and bullying at the San Francisco-based start-up that forced out former CEO and co-founder Travis Kalanick. Kalanick co-founded the company in 2009 after dropping out of UCLA to found a business, an online file-exchange service called Scour. He entered the Forbes top 400 riches Americans list in 2014 and now has an estimated fortune of around $6billion (£4.5billion). The 41-year-old has been referred to as a 'scrappy entrepreneur' and he was forced to apologise to staff earlier this year after a video emerged of him in a expletive-ridden confrontation with an Uber driver who was complaining about pay. He resigned this summer following a series of costly scandals including revelations of sexual harassment in its offices, allegations of trade secrets theft and a federal investigation into efforts to mislead local government regulators. At the time of his resignation, he retained control of a majority of Uber's voting shares. Travis Kalanick, who helped found the company, resigned in July amid criticism Advertisement

End of the gig economy or an attempt to 'switch off the internet'? Parliament divided by unexpected decision

The decision not to issue Uber with a new licence to operate in London has split politicians with supporters of the move claiming it could be a 'game changer for the gig economy' but critics claiming the the capital was turning its back on 'free trade and innovation'.

Work and Pensions Committee chairman Frank Field said Uber must respond to the decision by 'resetting its business model' to offer a safe and reliable service with fairer conditions for drivers.

But Conservative MP Chris Philp said it was a 'shocking misjudgment' by London mayor Sadiq Khan to support the decision to effectively ban the minicab app.

Fellow Tory Tom Tugendhat claimed Mr Khan was a 'luddite' who wanted to 'switch off the internet' following the Transport for London (TfL) decision.

Labour MP Mr Field said: 'This could be a game changer for the gig economy.

'Uber must now respond to TfL's decision by totally resetting its business model.

'This new model will need to be built upon two foundations: a safe and reliable service for every passenger; and a living wage and fairer conditions for every driver who makes themselves available for work.'

London mayor Sadiq Khan came under fire from critics of the decision today

But Croydon South MP Mr Philip told the Press Association: 'I very strongly oppose what Sadiq Khan has done.

'There are issues Uber needs to address, but by outright banning them in London it's going to put 40,000 people out of work and 3.5 million Londoners are going to pay higher fares.

'The people most affected are going to be people on low incomes who can afford to take an Uber but can't afford to take a black cab.'

He added: 'Sadiq Khan is sending out a message that London is not interested in free markets and not interested in innovation and that is a terrible message for Sadiq Khan to be sending, particularly given everything else that is going on with Brexit

'It's a shocking misjudgment by the mayor of London.'

Senior MP Mr Tugendhat, the chairman of the Commons Foreign Affairs Select Committee, said Uber has problems but 'banning them is a vote against choice'.

Green Party joint leader and Brighton Pavilion MP Caroline Lucas welcomed TfL's decision and hoped that her city would follow London's example.

She said: 'We need to see more corporate responsibility in the gig economy.'

What other apps can Londoners use? Competitors pile into market Taxi app Uber will not be issued with a private hire operator licence, Transport for London said. The ride-hailing app has 21 days to appeal, but if it chooses not to, or is unsuccessful, what other options do Londoners have? GETT Gett is an app for booking black cabs. In fact, the company claims just under half of the black cabs in London are signed up to its service. As well as connecting customers with taxi rides, the company recently announced a partnership with Citymapper for a fixed-route taxi service across the city for just £3 per passenger. 'Gett Together' will offer four routes in London, which can be accessed through the CityMapper and Gett apps: Ladbroke Grove to Aldwych, Belsize Park to Berkeley Square, Clapham Junction to London Bridge and Highbury and Islington to Waterloo. Users can choose to be picked up and dropped off anywhere along these set routes. The taxis will run between 7.30-10.00am and 5-8pm MYTAXI Mytaxi, formerly Hailo, is another app for ordering black cabs. Users can pay by cash or through the app and it has many of the benefits of Uber, including in-app ordering, a live journey tracker and enabling the user to call their driver. The app even offered half-price fares on Friday in response to Uber's licence woes. TAXIFY Taxify is a newcomer to the London cab market, having launched in early September. The Estonian firm, which operates similarly to Uber with private cars, suspended services just days after its launch in London, so will need to overcome its own licensing hurdles to make the most of Uber's setback. Advertisement