UBER UPDATE
CUMBRIA MP SLAMS UBER FOR THREATENING LOCAL CABBIES’ LIVELIHOODS
Local taxi drivers in south Cumbria are facing an uncertain future as out-of-town Uber drivers continue to move into the region, according to Westmorland and Lonsdale MP Tim Farron.
The MP is sounding the alarm after receiving a joint letter from 30 concerned drivers across Kendal, Windermere, and Barrow who say they
are being systematically
undercut by competitors licensed as far away as Wolverhampton. The tension follows a decision by Westmorland and Furness Council last September to grant Uber a three-year licence to operate.
While Uber planned to base its regional headquarters in Ulverston, local cabbies argue the current system allows outside drivers to swoop in and take work away from those who live and pay taxes in the community. “I have spent a lot of time listening to the understandable frustrations of local taxi drivers who feel that they are being undercut by Uber,” Mr. Farron said. “It’s unacceptable that local taxi drivers are able to have their livelihoods put at risk by drivers registered in Wolverhampton – and this is something I am
continuing to raise with the
Transport Secretary.” The drivers are calling for “parliamentary attention” and a major overhaul of how licences are managed. In their letter to the MP, a spokesperson for the group demanded that PH companies “comply with basic consumer transparency requirements at the point licences are issued.” The group is also pushing for “scrutiny of licensing authorities’ performance” to ensure councils are doing “the job Parliament expects of them” by protecting the integrity of the local trade.
CORNISH TAXI DRIVERS SOUND THE ALARM AS UBER THREATENS RURAL “DEVASTATION”
Local taxi drivers are warning that the arrival of Uber in Cornwall could “destroy” rural communities and dismantle local businesses that have served the Duchy for decades. Since Uber was granted a PH licence by Cornwall Council last May, independent cabbies have raised concerns that it will push out traditional hackney carriages. Falmouth-based driver Brett Bennett warns that the shift will be “devastating,” noting that “if all of a sudden Uber takes over, then hackneys are going to disappear.” He fears that vulnerable residents will be left stranded as local firms collapse under the pressure. While Uber claims it is “creating new earning opportunities for local drivers and expanding affordable transport options,” local cabbies
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argue the reality on the ground is far different. Drivers report that Uber is already charging signific- antly higher rates - in one instance £21 for a journey that costs £12 in a local cab - while lacking the essential local knowledge of Cornwall’s winding roads. There is a growing fear that Uber drivers will stick to busy hubs such as Truro and Newquay,
leaving
smaller villages without service because: “Uber is not going to go to those rural places because they can’t guarantee a second pickup.” The struggle is further com- pounded by Cornwall’s notorious “dead zones” for internet signal, making app-based booking impossible in many remote areas. Beyond the tech issues, drivers feel abandoned by the local authority, with Mr. Bennett stating: “I just feel
that the taxi industry isn’t being looked after in Cornwall. The council doesn’t seem to care.” As the council prepares to discuss a controversial plan to merge the old district councils into one single area, veteran drivers worry that “undercutting local set council tariffs” on certain journeys
will
eventually leave the public with no choice but to use a service that doesn’t prioritise the local community. Currently taxis in Cornwall are licensed in six separate areas, based on the old district councils of Penwith, Kerrier, Carrick, Restor- mel, North Cornwall, and Caradon. The consultation to remove the six zones to create one single taxi area for all of Cornwall, closed on December 31, 2025 - the results are due to be discussed in March.
MARCH 2026 PHTM
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