Ride-hailing app Uber has been provisionally banned from operating in London, in a massive development that’s being hailed as a win for the traditional, old-fashioned black cab driver.

Transport for London (TfL) said in a statement that Uber’s ‘approach and conduct’ were ‘not fit and proper’ to hold a private hire licence. Its current one expires on September 30, but legally the firm is granted a 21-day stay of execution during which it can appeal the decision – and continue to operate.

The shock ruling criticises Uber’s approach to reporting serious criminal offences, presumably committed by its drivers, its approach to how medical certificates were obtained, to how its criminal record checks were obtained and its use of software designed to block the police from gaining ‘full access’ to the app.