Uber suspends UberPop taxi app service in Spain after court injunction
Taxi app company Uber has suspended its UberPop service in Spain after a court ruling banning the ride-sharing app was confirmed.
UberPop is a ridesharing service and platform connecting private car owners with passengers who also have the option to split the fare. UberPop mirrors UberX in the US.
Uber has been operating in Spain since April but was challenged with an injunction by the Association Madrileña Del Taxi and was given a formal ruling yesterday.
We are temporarily suspending uberPOP in Spain while we appeal the court ruling and look to develop new options to give Spaniards access to safe, reliable rides.
During this temporary suspension of uberPOP, we will also collaborate with Spanish politicians to develop the modern framework needed to create a permanent home for Uber and the sharing economy.
The company highlighted the conclusions of the Spanish Competition Authority that the current taxi market was uncompetitive and that regulations were making it far too difficult for new players to enter the market.
Uber has suffered several blows on the European continent in recent months. France has promised to ban UberPop on 1 January after Parisian taxi drivers staged a mass protest against the San Franciso startup.
Earlier this year UberPop was banned in Brussels and there has been a tug of war over the service's regulation in Germany. The company has been on the receiving end of barrage of criticism over surge price policy, which sees prices rise as demand surges.
Uber has warned fares in central London at 2:00am could reach £75 because of high demand after New Year's Eve.