UBER UPDATE


BLACKPOOL TAXI TENSIONS ESCALATE AS UBER DRIVER CLAIMS HE WAS THREATENED BY CABBIES


Tension persists in Blackpool’s taxi industry as an Uber driver alleges a frightening confrontation with local cabbies. The incident, which reportedly occurred in November, involved two taxi drivers blocking the Uber driver’s vehicle on Bispham Road and threatening him with a metal pole. Blackpool Council granted Uber a licence to operate in August after


determining the operator was suitable to hold an operator’s licence. The council said it was legally obligated to issue the licence after Uber met all the necessary criteria for a private hire operator’s licence. “We are licensed now and we are here to stay,” the Uber driver said. However, Blackpool taxi driver Neil Charnock dismissed the claims as unfounded rumours.


“I cannot think of anyone stupid enough to


commit such an


offence,” he stated. Until these allegations are investigated, we should leave them as just rumour. Most vehicles have cameras, so you would expect the alleged offence would be caught on camera.” Charnock


urged anyone with


information to report it directly to the police.


UBER GETS GREEN LIGHT TO OPERATE IN HARTLEPOOL


Controversial plans by Uber to expand into Hartlepool have been approved by the local council despite opposition from existing taxi firms. The ride-hailing giant will operate from the Hartlepool Enterprise Centre. The decision was made by the council’s regulatory services committee, despite concerns raised by local taxi drivers about potential safety risks and the impact on the local industry.


Matthew Freckleton, head of cities for Uber UK, defended the company’s plans, highlighting its “dynamic pricing” model and the rigorous background checks conducted on drivers. Both Uber and council officers stressed enforcement action can be taken against drivers where offences are found to


have


occurred, with the information uploaded to a national database. The application went before the


UBER TO PAY $271.8M TO AUSTRALIAN CABBIES IN VICTORIA SETTLEMENT


The Supreme Court of Victoria has rubber stamped an agreed settlement reached between Uber and more than 8,000 taxi drivers. The night before the class action lawsuit had been scheduled to go to trial in March, Uber agreed on the settlement with the taxi drivers who had alleged the company set up in Australia illegally and in doing so,


38


caused them financial harm. The settlement was reached without admission of liability by Uber. In announcing her decision on the $271.8m payout on 2 December, Supreme Court of Victoria Judge, Patricia Matthews, said she had found “the settlement is fair and reasonable and in the interest of group members”.


panel as it falls outside the scope of the local authority’s current private hire and hackney carriage licensing policy. This states such licences will only be granted to applicants who have an “operating base”, which is classed as a “building that it is used for the taking of private hire bookings”, within the local authority area. A response from Uber noted “all private hire bookings will be managed through our app and records will be maintained within Uber’s computerised record system” as there will be no physical service in the Hartlepool office. Local taxi firms, such as 23 Taxis, argued that a public consultation should be held before any changes to the policy are made. They said: “If you just grant a licence against your own policy, that doesn’t seem to be quite right to me.” The council has assured the public that it will monitor Uber’s operations closely and take enforcement action against any drivers who violate the rules.


JANUARY 2025 PHTM


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