STATION STIRRINGS
PETERBOROUGH TAXI DRIVERS FEAR FOR FUTURE OVER ISSUES WITH UBER DRIVERS AT STATION
Peterborough’s black cab drivers are raising concerns about the future of their trade. Mahmood Khan, a taxi driver for over 40 years, and fellow cabbie Jake Carter allege that some Uber drivers are flouting regulations by waiting at the city’s railway station without pre-booked fares, effect- ively poaching passengers. The drivers claim Uber vehicles congregate in the station’s pick- up/drop-off area, and even on the access road, during peak hours. This gives arriving passengers the impression that Uber is readily available. While posters have been displayed reminding drivers of the rules, Khan and Carter assert they’ve had no impact.
“Uber has been operating in Peterborough for about six months now. We don’t have a problem with competition. However, some of the things that some drivers are doing is breaching the rules,” said Carter. He highlighted the financial burden placed on black cab drivers, noting: “We have to buy a £2,000 licence every year to be able to operate at the station taxi rank and our taxis are very expensive to buy.” Khan echoed these concerns, stating: “We’re seeing people leave the black cab trade as a result of this. It is becoming increasingly difficult for taxi drivers in Peterborough, with the decline of the night time economy and other things disappearing from the city.”
He also raised safety concerns, adding: “We’re also seeing drivers, dropping people off on the mini- roundabout, blocking the road for everyone, and filling up the pick- up/drop off area while they wait. “It’s very busy in there at peak times, and someone could get injured. There seems to be no penalty for them not breaking rules.” An Uber spokesperson responded, saying: “Any driver found picking up unbooked trips will perm- anently lose access to the app. We regularly remind drivers that they must adhere to Uber’s community guidelines, which includes safely picking up and dropping off passengers in the appropriate areas.”
CHELMSFORD TAXI DRIVERS CHALLENGE PROPOSED BEAULIEU PARK STATION PERMIT CHARGES
Chelmsford City Council is facing opposition from local taxi drivers over plans to
charge them
between £500 to £1,500 for permits to operate at the new Beaulieu Park railway station. The council owns the land allocated for the new taxi rank at the station and says it will manage it accordingly. It aims to limit the number of taxis on the rank, potentially issuing only 50 permits in the first year. There are about 200 black cabs, 100 of which pay £1,200 for permission to use the rank at Chelmsford Station, which Greater Anglia owns. However, Chelmsford Taxi Drivers Association said they believe it is “unjust and unlawful” for a council to profit from the
PHTM MARCH 2025
licensed trade - regardless of where the funds end up. A statement on behalf of Chelms- ford Taxi Drivers Association claimed the council wanted to “double permit” the drivers - saying they already pay to license their vehicles as taxis. The association said: “Any refusal to allow a locally licensed HCV from using a locally adopted taxi rank would be an offence and a complete waste of council funds, and any suggestion otherwise would be, in our opinion, misplaced.” They warned the council could face legal challenges if it proceeds with the proposed charges. The association also expressed concerns that these restrictions
could discourage taxis from operating at the station, compromising public safety and convenience. “Ensuring that sufficient taxis are available to transport the public home safely and promptly should remain a key priority for the council,” the statement emphasised. A council spokesperson stated that permit systems are common at rail stations allowing a limited number of vehicles access. The spokesperson added: “The council’s Regulatory Committee agreed to a six-week consultation regarding the proposal for use of the taxi rank to require a permit. Responses will be brought back to the committee for consideration.”
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