Indian ride-hailing firm Ola to launch in the UK

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Indian ride-hailing firm Ola said on Tuesday it plans to launch services in the United Kingdom this year, months after it expanded its operations in Australia, in an ongoing turf war with U.S. rival Uber Technologies.

FILE PHOTO: An employee speaks over his phone as he sits at the front desk inside the office of Ola cab service in Gurugram, previously known as Gurgaon, on the outskirts of New Delhi, India, April 20, 2016. REUTERS/Anindito Mukherjee/File photo

Ola, backed by Japan’s Softbank Group, has obtained licenses to begin operations in South Wales in September, as well as Greater Manchester, and plans to expand country-wide by the end of the year, it said in a statement.

The ride-hailing firm will offer private vehicles for hire as well as the popular black cabs on its platform and will add more transportation options going forward, the company said.

Reporting by Aditi Shah; Editing by Sanjeev Miglani

(Original source)