Taxi Driver Online
http://www.taxi-driver.co.uk/phpBB2/

Norwich nighttime economy rep says Uber will lower fares
http://www.taxi-driver.co.uk/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=41310		 Page 1 of 1
Author:  StuartW [ Wed Mar 26, 2025 3:40 pm ]
Post subject:  Norwich nighttime economy rep says Uber will lower fares
Thought all this had been gone over before, but must have been thinking about Ipswich rather than Norwich :-s

But in the grand scheme of Uber articles, not much to see here at all.


Uber begins operating in Norwich

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cqx0ny391q4o

Uber has started operating in Norwich, with the company saying its arrival in the city will "give passengers greater transport options".

The ride-hailing service has become popular around the world in recent years, but is only now making its debut in Norfolk.

Andrew Brem, Uber's UK country manager, said the firm would "provide new earning opportunities for local drivers, give passengers greater transport options and support the local economy".

However, Norwich's Black Cabs Association has aired concerns about the arrival of Uber, saying it could lead to existing taxi drivers getting less work.

Kierran Greaves, committee member of the taxi association, told the BBC that Uber's arrival was a "double-edged sword".

"It can be a good thing but it can be a bit of a bad thing," he said.

"It's good for customers and members of the public, so they can get different ride sharing apps and private hire."

However, he believed Norwich already had enough private hire vehicles.

"If you look down Prince of Wales [Road] or Castle Meadow or outside the theatre, there are always private hire vehicles parked around waiting for them to get jobs.

"It's only on the Friday or Saturday nights where people have trouble getting private hire vehicles."

Work opportunities

Mr Greaves believed it could lead to existing taxi drivers getting less work.

"With taxis you can flag them down, wave at us if we've got our lights on and you can jump in. But you can't do that with private hire.

"With Uber you have to book and wait, but if you see one of us you can just jump in to a black cab."

Uber said the "unmet demand" in Norwich would "offer excellent earning opportunities for local drivers, all of which will access industry leading worker rights such as holiday pay, free sickness and injury protection and a pension, as well as formal representation through GMB Union."

It claimed there were "thousands of users opening the app every week to try and book a trip".
Author:  StuartW [ Wed Mar 26, 2025 3:41 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Norwich nighttime economy rep says Uber will lower fares
Slightly more interesting maybe is a radio piece available on the link (it's BBC, so quick to load). Which is mainly Uber's PR boilerplate, but most of it is from a pub/club rep. Who basically thinks it's great because drivers will be forced to work even later into the early hours, and for lower fares. Thanks for that :roll:
Author:  Sussex [ Wed Mar 26, 2025 6:47 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Norwich nighttime economy rep says Uber will lower fares
Quote:
"It can be a good thing but it can be a bit of a bad thing," he said.

Well that's cleared that up then. :roll: :roll: :roll:
Author:  Sussex [ Wed Mar 26, 2025 6:53 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Norwich nighttime economy rep says Uber will lower fares
Quote:
"With Uber you have to book and wait, but if you see one of us you can just jump in to a black cab."

But surely you will have to wait some time before you see one, unless you walk to a rank.
Author:  StuartW [ Thu Mar 27, 2025 3:05 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Norwich nighttime economy rep says Uber will lower fares
Same old, same old. One the one hand, they make it sound like a city without any shops, and suddenly Tesco opens a superstore :-o

Or somehow Uber are magicking up a thronging mass of new drivers, as opposed to merely rearranging the local trade furniture a bit.

On the other hand, there is the magic driver tree called Wolverhampton, not to mention other convenient licensing authorities :roll:

Photos of beaming students via the link, if anyone feels the need.


Students welcome Uber's arrival in city

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cd651v90d51o

Uber has finally arrived in Norwich. The company says it is launching in the city to meet an unmet demand for private hire vehicles. Norwich's Black Cabs Association, meanwhile, fears it will have an adverse effect on its members' business. But what do students in the city think?

Taz Khaleque, 20, moved from Colchester to start at Norwich University of the Arts in September.

"I use it back at home, and everywhere else I go," she says.

Her friend, 20-year-old Kyla Obryne, says: "It's quite scary walking home at night, so it'll be a lot better getting an Uber."

Leon Cox and Jojo Royall, both 17 and students at Jane Austen College, think the service will have its benefits.

"I think it's good for students who live on the outside of Norwich and have no other means of getting in," says Jojo.

"Buses are a bit dodgy here sometimes."

Textiles students Georgia Minister, 27, and Millie Crosser, 18, think Uber will be useful for getting home at night.

"Taxis here aren't the best when you're on a night out," says Georgia.

Millie says: "I've queued for hours waiting for a taxi before."

However, Nula Townsend, 21, says she would rather support local businesses.

"I think I'll try and use local firms when I can, but if they don't have any drivers, I'll try Uber instead."

Sancha Tallowin, 19, says she has also been left waiting for a taxi.

"You're normally left standing in the street for an hour after a night out," she says.

"I feel like every other city has it and we've been left waiting."

Mohammed, who declined to give his surname, signed up to drive with Uber after previously working with local firms.

"It's a new opportunity," he says.

"It's been really good so far, and I think we'll be busy over the weekends. There's a lot of demand for Uber, and it will be good for students, too."

Kierran Greaves, from the Norwich Black Cabs Association, says there are enough taxi options in the city already.

"I don't think there is a large unmet demand. You see a lot of private hire vehicles sitting around the city waiting for jobs," he says.

"I can see it having an adverse effect on our business."

The National Private Hire and Taxi Association expressed concern over Uber's influx into cities.

A spokesperson said: "It does offer drivers more choice of operators they can work for, and it offers the travelling public more choice."

"However, their excessively low fare structure can have the impact of undermining the local trade and forcing drivers to work longer hours in order to simply makes ends meet."

Earlier this month, after Uber were granted a licence to operate 160 drivers in Plymouth, a local taxi firm said Uber had the potential to "destroy the local marketplace".

In June, York City Council gave Uber a licence to operate after a six-year ban over concerns from local taxi firms, who said they were "already struggling".

Uber says of its decision to operate in Norwich: "Part of the reason we have launched [on Wednesday] is that we have seen huge amounts of unmet demand, with thousands of people trying to book a trip on the app in the city every week.

"This unmet demand can now be met."

Andrew Brem, Uber's UK manager, said the firm would "provide new earning opportunities for local drivers, give passengers greater transport options and support the local economy".
Author:  Sussex [ Thu Mar 27, 2025 9:00 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Norwich nighttime economy rep says Uber will lower fares
Quote:
"I think I'll try and use local firms when I can, but if they don't have any drivers, I'll try Uber instead."

If only that sentiment lasted more than a day or two.
Author:  edders23 [ Fri Mar 28, 2025 2:42 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Norwich nighttime economy rep says Uber will lower fares
Quote:
Her friend, 20-year-old Kyla Obryne, says: "It's quite scary walking home at night, so it'll be a lot better getting an Uber."


the naivety of youth ! :roll:
Author:  187ums2 [ Mon Mar 31, 2025 8:01 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Norwich nighttime economy rep says Uber will lower fares
How long do you think that it will take for drivers to realise uber is using them ? Then the drivers will protest, but by then uber has oversaturated the market.

It’s the usual pattern, drivers will complain of lower earnings and much longer hours, uber will cut the mileage rate to “create” demand.

Down where I am one operator lost at least 90 drivers on day one and the other about 30. Week one uber drivers coined it, but it’s unlikely they will ever match those earnings as the council has got in on the act as well.
Page 1 of 1 All times are UTC [ DST ]
Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group
http://www.phpbb.com/