BOLT is the best-placed ride-hailing app to capitalise from Uber's London ban, according to a new study.

Figures from market intelligence company Similarweb show that the Estonian app had the largest amount of Android downloads out of Uber's competitors in the months leading up to the app's ban last week.

Bolt has also experienced a surge in Android downloads since Transport for London (TfL) opted not to renew Uber's London licence on 25 November.

Bolt's daily downloads nearly doubled that day from 5,778 to 10,894, and have stayed around that mark since. French ride-hailing app Kapten saw a similar increase in daily downloads, rising from 3,274 to 8,901 on 25 November.

A Bolt spokesperson said: "We stand ready to take over as the firstchoice provider in London, if it comes to that, and we actively strive to achieve that position."

Uber was not given a new licence by TfL, after a "pattern of failures" regarding passenger safety. This included having some unlicensed and uninsured drivers on the app.

Uber is appealing the decision and can still operate in the meantime.

(c) 2019 City A.M., source Newspaper