UBER UPDATE
PLYMOUTH TAXI FIRM ACCUSES UBER OF PREDATORY PRICING
A price war has erupted in Plymouth with local taxi firm Need-a-cab? accusing ride- hailing giant Uber of “predatory pricing” and destabilising the city’s taxi industry. Huw Isaac and David McIntosh, Need-a-cab? bosses, have penned a letter to Plymouth City Council alleging Uber is drastically undercutting estab- lished operators, potentially driving them out of business and creating a monopoly. “We are happy with competition but not happy about unfair and possibly illegal methods of competing,” David McIntosh told
PlymouthLive, highlighting their concerns about Uber’s pricing strategy. They claim a journey costing £7.10 with Need-a-cab? can be taken for as little as £1.67 with Uber. The firm is citing the Com- petitions Act, which prohibits companies from setting unrealistically low prices to
eliminate competition. Uber, which was granted permission to operate in Plymouth last year, stated it is “pleased” to be operating in Plymouth and is simply “satisfying unmet demand” and “adding to competition.” While Uber did not address the specific pricing concerns, its website lists an average 11-minute ride in Plymouth at £10. Plymouth City Council clarified it does not regulate private hire vehicle fares, directing any “predatory pricing queries” to the Competitions and Markets Authority.
BLACKBURN AND PENDLE CABBIES SIGN UP IN DROVES AS UBER LAUNCHES LOCALLY
Hundreds of taxi drivers across Blackburn and Pendle have begun registering to drive for Uber this week, following the ride- sharing giant finally receiving a licence
from Blackburn with
Darwen Council in November. The onboarding process com- menced on Tuesday at Lomeshaye
Business Park
One Blackburn driver who attended the registration event highlighted the strong initial interest, stating: “There was a lot of demand. I got told around 70 people registered and a further 70 will be online by Thursday.” The driver also noted the decision to
launch in
Nelson, marking the end of frustrating delays for prospective drivers who were initially told registration would begin in January, then March. The move comes after a period where private hire vehicles licensed in other boroughs were commonly seen operating via the Uber app in Blackburn and Pendle.
48 simultaneously due to
in both districts high
demand, explaining: “We were told to travel over to Nelson as in the district there was a lot of demand and they decided to launch
both licences simul-
taneously.” The arrival of Uber, the world’s largest ride-sharing company with millions of users and drivers globally, is anticipated to
significantly impact the local taxi landscape. The registering driver acknowledged this potential shift, saying: “This will most likely affect local firms as people will be joining Uber.” While the increased competition could offer more
choice for
passengers, the effect on fares remains uncertain. “We are not sure how this will affect prices for customers though. As during peak hours, the prices may be more. But we won’t know until the coming weeks,” the driver added. The council’s decision to grant Uber a licence was made despite concerns about the potential impact on existing local firms and their drivers.
MAY 2025 PHTM
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