UBER UPDATE
UBER GRANTED CONTROVERSIAL FIFE LICENCE AS 100s OF OBJECTIONS THROWN OUT ON TECHNICALITY
Uber has successfully secured a 24/7 PH operator’s licence for a booking office at Rosyth Business Park after Fife Council’s Regulation & Licensing Committee approved the bid on 22 September. The decision went through unopposed following a dramatic procedural intervention that dis- missed all 431 public and industry objections. The controversy unfolded when Kevin Clancy, a solicitor acting for Uber, pointed out that none of the published objections met the strict legal requirements because they lacked a hand or electronic signature.
Council solicitor Kimberley Langley confirmed this legal shortcoming, leading committee convener Councillor Tom Adams to rule the representations invalid. Consequently, 25 local taxi operators who had been invited to speak - including representatives from St Andrews Taxis and Magnum Taxis - were silenced before they
could voice their
concerns regarding public safety, driver verification, and safe- guarding requirements. Local trade figures expressed fury over the handling of the process. Linda Holt of St Andrews Taxis
UBER DRIVERS ORGANISE AGAINST ALGORITHMIC PAY MODELS
Uber drivers across Europe and the UK are pushing back
against
shifting pay structures and algorithmic pay management. A collective legal action in Amster- dam accuses Uber of exploiting driver data to shift financial risk onto workers while increasing platform commissions. Since 2020, Uber has moved away from fixed rates based on time and distance toward variable payments determined in real time. The parameters for these calculations remain undisclosed, leaving drivers unable to understand how their earnings are determined or how they compare to passenger fares, which studies suggest can result in the platform taking more than 50% on individual journeys. The legal claim aims to reform Uber and secure compensation for c. 241,000 drivers across the UK,
46
and Europe. While Uber main- tains that its system optimises supply and demand to maximise earning opportunities, drivers report unpredictable incomes, longer unpaid waiting times, and rising workplace inequality. Many now work 12 days, 5 days a week, to earn what previously required much shorter hours. Although the UK Supreme Court ruled in 2021 that drivers are legally workers entitled to minimum wage and holiday pay, unions continue to challenge the company over pay and algorithmic control. Resistance has moved offline into protests and industrial action, altough organisation remains difficult because drivers work in isolation, and the platform’s dynamic pricing model can incentivise strike-breaking by raising fares when supply drops.
branded the outcome “rank incompetence,” stating: “Hundreds of objections to the application were accepted by Fife Council as legitimate. They invited 25 of us to speak but before we got the chance, Uber’s solicitor said the objections were not valid because they were not signed.” Sam Green of Magnum Taxis added that objectors were initially told emails would suffice, noting: “They shouldn’t have said that if they didn’t know. They should have checked.” Councillor Carol Lindsay also raised serious concerns regarding administrative transparency and whether councillors were given enough factual information and time to handle such a massive volume of submissions. Committee convener Tom Adams defended the ruling, explaining that legal advice left them no choice but to dismiss the unsigned objections, stating: “That meant I had to move we couldn’t take the objections and there was no point in us hearing any further.” Lindsay Thomson, Fife Council’s head of legal and democratic services, acknowledged that the licensing team would reflect on whether procedural changes are needed for the future. Meanwhile, an Uber spokesperson welcomed the decision. The company emphasised the service will meet strong local demand, offer a safe and affordable option for residents, and provide new earning opportunities with worker rights, holiday entitlement, a pension scheme, and GMB Union representation for local drivers.
OCTOBER 2026 PHTM
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