Uber drivers in London will have to pass an English language proficiency exam to obtain a license, under new rules announced by Transport for London (TfL), the city’s transportation agency. Unlike an earlier proposal, which would have applied to Uber drivers from non-English speaking countries, the rules announced this week apply to all drivers for UberX and Uber’s black car service.

TfL, which oversees London’s private car services, buses, and subways, defended the rules as necessary to ensure public safety. “It is essential for public safety that all licensed drivers can communicate in English at an appropriate level,” the agency said on its website. “Communicating with passengers to discuss a route, or fare, as well as reading,…

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