Ola
Request ID: FOI-1283-1819
Date published: 12 October 2018
You asked
Can I request any records of phone calls, meetings, and/or emails between TfL and executives from the Indian cab company Ola (incorporated in the UK as Ola UK Private Limited) between January 1 2017 and August 7 2018.
Specifically, any records of conversations about:
- Gaining a licence in London
- Private hire and black taxi regulatory issues in London
- Uber, Taxify, and Lyft
The executives from Ola who may have been involved in conversations with TfL likely include Chandra Nath and potentially Bhavish Aggarwal and Ankit Bhati. Others may have been in the conversations.
We answered
Our Ref: FOI-1283-1819
Thank you for your request received on 7 August 2018 asking for information about meetings or correspondence we have had with the company Ola.
Your request has been considered in accordance with the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act and our information access policy. I can confirm we hold some of the information you require. You asked:
Can I request any records of phone calls, meetings, and/or emails between TfL and executives from the Indian cab company Ola (incorporated in the UK as Ola UK Private Limited) between January 1 2017 and August 7 2018.
Specifically, any records of conversations about:
- Gaining a licence in London
- Private hire and black taxi regulatory issues in London
- Uber, Taxify, and Lyft
Please find attached the following e-mail:
7 August 2018
Email from Bhavish Aggarwal to Gareth Powell
Informing Gareth of their plans to enter the UK market, and an advanced copy of their media release
Attachment:
- Ola’s launch in the UK
- OLA UK Entry - Media Release
Please find a list of meetings below:
Meetings
15 December 2017
TfL: Michael Hurwitz
Ola: Chandra Nath
Purpose: Brief intro to Ola, Transport Innovation in London, Draft Mayor’s Transport Strategy
31 January 2018
TfL: Gareth Powell, Michael Hurwitz, Graham Robinson, Matthew Hudson, Claire Wiseman, Rikesh Shah, Jane Commons
Ola: Carson Dalton
Content: Ola provided TfL with details of their business strategy. TfL shared the priorities of the Mayor’s Transport Strategy and details of our governance. There was no discussion on licensing.
Please note that for the above meeting, the persons listed for TfL were invited to the meeting, we do not have a complete list of who attended the meeting for TfL or Ola.
15 March 2018 (Telco)
TfL: Graham Robinson, Michael Stack
Ola: Carson Dalton (unsure if there were others)
Content: Clarification on some technical aspects of operator licensing regulations
18 June 2018
TfL: Graham Robinson, Claire Wiseman, Michael Stack
Ola: Chandra Nath, Ankur Nyati, Carson Dalton, Meera Ravibalan
Content: Ola provided an update regarding their launch in Australia and their intentions for the UK
Attachment:
16 July 2018 (Telco)
TfL: Peter Nicholls
Ola: Carson Dalton, Meera Ravibalan
Content: To discuss the technical aspects of applying for and holding a London Service Permit
Attachment:
- Copy TfL/Ola call regarding London Service Permit
Please note that in accordance with TfL’s obligations under Data Protection legislation some personal data has been removed, as required by section 40(2) of the FOI Act. This is because disclosure of this personal data would be a breach of the legislation, specifically the first principle which requires all processing of personal data to be fair and lawful. It would not be fair to disclose this personal information when the individuals have no expectation it would be disclosed and TfL has not satisfied one of the conditions which would make the processing ‘fair’.
If this is not the information you are looking for, or if you are unable to access it for some reason, please feel free to contact me.
Please see the attached information sheet for details of your right to appeal.
Yours sincerely
Gemma Jacob
Senior FOI Case Officer
FOI Case Management Team
General Counsel
Transport for London
Attachments
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