Uber will find out by the end of today whether it can continue to operate in London, with the ride-hailing company’s licence set to expire at 11.59pm.
Transport for London will make a decision about the private-hire firm after previously refusing to grant a five year certificate to operate in the capital over safety and security concerns.
In June 2018, a judge handed Uber a 15-month extension after the company appealed the decision. TfL granted an additional two months stay in September this year.
The initial request to extend the licence was rejected for a number of reasons.
These included: the company's approach to reporting serious criminal offences, how drivers' medical certificates were obtained, how criminal record checks were carried out and its use of technology which allegedly helped it evade law enforcement officials.
When the short extension was awarded in September, a spokesman for London mayor Sadiq Khan, who chairs TfL, said private hire operators must fully comply with strict standards which keep Londoners safe.
He added: "Sadiq has been crystal clear that in London it doesn't matter how powerful and how big you are, you must play by the rules."
Uber says a range of new safety features have been introduced to its app in the past two years.
Earlier this month, it launched a system which automatically checks on the well-being of drivers and passengers when a journey is interrupted by a long stop.
It also unveiled a discrimination reporting button on its app, and collaborated with the AA to produce a safety video to educate drivers on topics such as reading the road, speed, space management and how to drop off and pick up passengers safely.
There are around 45,000 Uber drivers in London.
If TfL decides not to renew Uber's licence, it is likely the firm will be allowed to continue operating while any appeals are pending.
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