Taxi wars as rival Uber drivers flood tourist town from Midlands cityhttps://www.coventrytelegraph.net/news/ ... s-27450852Fifteen private hire vehicles not licensed by Stratford District Council were spotted in the town in just one night
Image: Stratford District Council/Coventry TelegraphLicensed taxi drivers in a Warwickshire tourist haven are up in arms after a sudden influx of Uber drivers from a Midlands city. Fifteen private hire vehicles licensed by the City of Wolverhampton Council were recorded in Stratford-upon-Avon in just one night.
Not only has the sudden incursion of drivers from the Black Country represented a major safety concern - their presence is understood to have angered the district's licensed cabbies. A joint operation involving Stratford District Council’s Licensing team and the City of Wolverhampton's Compliance Department was undertaken after concerns were raised about an increase in Uber operators in the Warwickshire town, which tends to enjoy a boost in tourism during the summer months.
Of the Uber drivers stopped on Saturday, July 15, four were reported for re-inspection and two were given appropriate advice about breaching Wolverhampton's vehicle licence conditions. Lorraine Grocott, SDC's environmental and neighbourhood services boss, said: "Public safety is of paramount importance, and this partnership working with other licensing authorities shows our commitment to ensure drivers and vehicles that are licensed maintain the highest standards.
"It’s not illegal for vehicles licensed by other authorities to operate across our district. And although the district council doesn’t license any Ubers operating in the district, they operate as private hire vehicles which must be pre-booked via the vehicle’s operators with an agreed price. Failure to be pre-booked invalidates the driver’s insurance."
The Uber drivers are not allowed to park in taxi rank spacing in the town centre and they can't make pick-ups without a booking, meaning they can't just be hailed on the street like the Hackney carriages licensed by SDC. All Hackney black cabs are wheelchair accessible and fitted with a meter that calculates the appropriate fare at the beginning of a passenger's journey.
"Taxis are a vital service and are a huge support to the night-time economy," Cllr Grocott added. "Stratford District Council’s standard of vehicle and driver is high. A robust system of licensing and checks keeps it at the standard required by this authority."
Councillor Craig Collingswood, City of Wolverhampton Council's environment and climate change chief, reiterated the district council's safety concerns. "Partnership working with our licensing colleagues and other agencies shows our commitment to upholding our responsibilities," he said.
"We expect drivers and vehicles licensed by us to always maintain the highest standards. This is irrespective of the administrative boundary within which they are operating at any particular time. City of Wolverhampton Council takes its enforcement responsibilities seriously and our officers are out across the country, every Friday and Saturday night, working to protect the public."
Image: Stratford District Council/Coventry Telegraph
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