Ola to launch operations in London soon

Cab hailing platform Ola on Tuesday said it will soon begin its operations in London and has started onboarding licensed drivers in the region.

Ola had received an operating licence from Transport for London (TfL) earlier this year.

"Ola has begun registering licenced drivers in London as it prepares to launch operations in the city...With this, over 50,000 licensed drivers will be able to join Ola and provide mobility services in London," a statement said.

The Bengaluru-based firm had forayed into the UK with operations starting in Cardiff in August last year. It has expanded across Birmingham, Liverpool, Exeter, Reading, Bristol, Bath, Coventry, and Warwick in the UK.

"Today, we are inviting the tens of thousands of PHV drivers across London to register themselves on the Ola platform, as we prepare to launch in the city in the coming weeks. We have built a robust mobility platform for London which is fully compliant with TfL's high standards," Ola Head of International Simon Smith said.

He added that the company has had constructive conversations with the authorities, drivers, and local communities in London over the past months.

"...(we) and look forward to contributing towards solving mobility issues in innovative and meaningful ways," he said.

Ola's service is available in over 250 cities in India, Australia, New Zealand and the UK.