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FRANCE’S government responded to taxi drivers’ protests today by banning Uber’s low-cost cab-hailing service from the start of next year.
Several hundred taxis had blocked roads heading from Charles de Gaulle airport, then inched toward Paris in their latest protest against the ride-sharing company’s unfair business practices.
A new law tightening regulations for chauffeured rides will effectively ban the UberPop service as of January 1, said Interior Ministry spokesman Pierre-Henry Brandet.
“Currently, people who use UberPop are not protected if there is an accident. So not only is it illegal to offer this service but, for the consumer, there is a real danger,” said Mr Brandet.
In Australia Uber went into damage-control mode, offering free rides to passengers fleeing an armed siege in Sydney after earlier jacking up prices to make a profit from the crisis.
The company backed down on the price rises and said it would also refund fares after initially implementing “surge pricing” — increasing rates during peak demand.
In the immediate aftermath of the Sydney siege, Uber had begun charging passengers four times its regular fares with a minimum charge of £52.62 to leave the area.
Uber tweeted claims that fares “have increased to encourage more drivers to come online & pick up passengers in the area.”
But in response to public fury the company later issued a statement saying it “will be providing free rides out of the business area to help Sydneysiders get home safely” and that it was “in the process of refunding rides.”
The controversy was the latest in a string of bad press for the company.
It is battling lawsuits in several countries over unfair competition and rising anger over drivers who are not properly vetted.
New Delhi authorities banned Uber from operating in the Indian capital last week after a passenger accused one of its drivers of rape.
Thailand, the Netherlands and Spain have ruled its use illegal and Denmark and Norway have filed complaints against the company. On Friday Brussels also announced it plans to file a complaint.
