Uber could be hit with tough new regulations under proposals from Transport for London (TfL) to improve passenger safety among private hire vehicle operators.

TfL's proposals announced today, which would affect private taxis and ride-hailing services in the capital, include options for "women-only" taxi journeys, clearer policies for reporting offences and greater data sharing.

“The private hire market is unrecognisable from when current legislation was introduced,” said Helen Chapman, interim director of licensing at TfL. “The growth of ride-sharing and other advances mean that regulation has to be fit for the next decade and not the last.”

The policy document includes proposals for improving the way customer data is handled and complaints are dealt with. It also sets out how conditions could be improved for drivers, such as "reasonable working hours including appropriate breaks throughout their shift".

In response to TfL's proposals, an Uber spokesman said: "Over the last few years we've led the way with pioneering technology, such as GPS tracking of every trip, which raises standards and enhances safety. We’re now building on that with new features, like our driver hours limits, which we hope other operators will also introduce."