Council set to offer minicab firm Uber permanent spaces in Horley after urine and excrement complaintsMinicab firm Uber has promised to act after reports of a town centre car park being used as a toilet.
The firm branded reports of minicab drivers urinating in the car park, where residents have also reportedly found faeces, as "unacceptable". But a spokesman stressed the reports are not uniquely linked to the firm.
It comes at the same time as news Uber is set to be offered permanent parking spaces in Horley.
Reigate and Banstead Borough Council is in discussions with the firm about the possibility of them renting about 50 spaces in the town's High Street car park, in response to concerns raised by residents about issues with drivers using the car parks, particularly in Victoria Road.
Gavin Handford, head of parking at the council, said: "The move is in response to concerns raised by residents about issues associated with Uber drivers using our car parks, in particular Victoria Road car park.
"Residents living nearby have been experiencing disturbance from vehicle engine noise, talking and music and the urinating in the recycling bin site, especially at night time. We have raised the issues with Uber and they are keen to work with us to address them."
Residents have also complained to the council reporting piles of excrement being left in the High Street car park.
One man, who the Mirror agreed not to name, told us the piles started to appear eight weeks ago.
He said: "There are regularly piles of excrement beside the council's blue container.
"Sometimes it is covered with toilet roll. And sometimes it's not. It's not dog poo. Dogs don't leave toilet roll and the amount is not dog poo amount.
"It's extremely unhygienic and it attracts rats off the railway line. It's a pain in the a***. It's a pain for people to have to walk past it."
The council said it had found no evidence of excrement in the car parks.
Uber is used by millions of people across the UK and allows users to book and pay for a cab through a smartphone app,
Mr Handford added: "The High Street car park is operating with spare capacity and the area is less residential than Victoria Road. It will also enable the council to better monitor the use of its car park by Uber drivers.
"Uber would be required to provide and maintain [temporary toilet] facilities for its drivers at the site.
"The proposal will help to tackle residents' concerns while bringing in much needed income for the use of our facilities which can be used towards the upkeep of the car parks.
"The site is also further from the town centre than the Victoria Road car park, as we are mindful that we do not want to impact the local Hackney Carriage and private hire trade."
A source within the council stressed that whatever is agreed with Uber would be temporary, because the car park is listed in the authority's Development Management Plan consultation document as being a potential site for future development.
He added: "Nothing has been agreed and at the moment there has been no discussion about a temporary structure.
"What they have discussed is temporary parking spaces for Uber drivers in that car park.
"Whatever happens I would imagine that it would be a temporary."
An Uber spokeswoman said: "We take any reports of antisocial behaviour very seriously, and what has been alleged is clearly unacceptable. Whilst this issue is not confined to Uber, we would urge residents to report such behaviour so we can take the appropriate action."
The Surrey Mirror has asked the council if it has had reports of excrement being left in its car parks.
Read more at
http://www.surreymirror.co.uk/council-s ... EMOBocZ.99
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