Taxi Driver Online

Uber: Thurrock Council requests change to Greater London 'geofence'

Councillors have called on Uber to update its ride-hailing app after hearing claims that it could be operating "unlawfully" in one district.

Thurrock Council heard the app told Uber drivers the Essex borough was part of Greater London, where they were licensed to operate.

Councillors agreed to call on Uber to change its "geofence", the virtual boundary used by the app.

Uber said it used "proactive" boundaries to help local authorities.

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, John Kent, leader of Thurrock's opposition Labour group, told a full council meeting: "A driver licensed by Thurrock Council can't simply get in their cab on morning and go and rank up in Upminster [in the London Borough of Havering].

"The issue is that the Uber Greater London geofence includes Thurrock. That allows their vehicles and drivers, who are not licensed by Thurrock, to in effect operate from here as though they were in Greater London.

"This is wrong and we need to take steps to encourage Uber to redraw their geofence to create a level playing field in Thurrock."

A representative of the Thurrock Taxi Drivers Association told the meeting that Uber's operation in Thurrock was "unlawful".

Conservative councillor James Halden said: "It doesn't matter if the geofence boundary is Thurrock or the entire nation. If there is an allegation of illegality, we should investigate that fully."

In response, Uber confirmed to the BBC that its Greater London region included Thurrock, as well as Luton and Gatwick airports and some towns and cities to the west of London.

In a statement, it said while its drivers were "free to choose where they want to drive", they would still need to be licensed by an authority within the region where they wanted to drive.

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IDFIMH

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IDFIMH

Uber said it used "proactive" boundaries to help local authorities.


don't they mean to help uber

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lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector

What a larf!, poober are dictating the licensing boundaries thruought the land and some LA's are now wanting to rope them in.who would have thought?. Oh wait a minute,why did we have boundaries in the first place?.why did we have meters?.

But if he's using the phrase 'rank up' then I suspect he doesn't know what he's talking about

Slightly more information (and very exciting photo ) from the meeting, and a (predictable) response from Uber:

Uber could be operating illegally in Thurrock

http://www.yourthurrock.com/2018/12/05/ ... -thurrock/


Image: Your Thurrock

THE popular taxi service Uber could be operating illegally in Thurrock, councillors have heard.

Uber has failed to apply for an operator’s licence from Thurrock Council and tells its drivers that the borough is part of Greater London allowing it to avoid following the same rules as competing firms.

A representative of the Thurrock Taxi Driver Association told a full council meeting on Wednesday that this is “unlawful”.

Councillor John Kent, leader of Thurrock Labour, said: “Uber drivers and Uber cars are not regulated in any way by this council.

“A driver licenced by Thurrock Council can’t simply get in their cab on morning and go and rank up in Upminster. A resident in Basildon can call a cab from a Thurrock operator but the car sent out must by dispatched from Thurrock. I can for instance book a Thurrock taxi firm to take me to an airport or to pick me up but let’s be clear, if they drop me at that airport they are not allowed to pick up a fare once they drop me off.

“Too often it appears the Uber do not abide by these rules, taxi drivers regularly report that Uber cars are parked up in Thurrock waiting for a job to appear on their app and some report Uber drivers accept fares when approached. That is just not reasonable.

“Part of the problem is the geo-fence, a virtual fence around a physical area. That geo-fence allows Uber app to be active within the car of the driver when they are in the geofence, so the driver can then accept a fare. The issue is that the Uber Greater London geofence includes Thurrock. That allows their vehicles and drivers, who are not licenced by Thurrock, to in effect operate from here as though they were in Greater London.

“This is wrong and we need to take steps to encourage Uber to redraw their geofence to create a level playing field in Thurrock.”

He went on to propose a motion that calls on Uber to revise the geofence. While this was narrowly voted through, Conservative councillors did attempt to change the motion so that it was less specific and suggested the licencing committee reviews all aspects of Uber’s operation.

Conservative Councillor James Halden, who voted for the amendment, said: “If there is a concern about illegality then we should investigate the illegality. It doesn’t matter if the geofence boundary is Thurrock or the entire nation. If there is an allegation of illegality, we should investigate that fully.”


Uber respond to criticisms regarding “operating illegally in Thurrock”

http://www.yourthurrock.com/2018/12/07/ ... -thurrock/

A SPOKESPERSON for Uber has responded to allegations that it could be operating “illegally” in Thurrock.

The question of Uber’s presence in Thurrock was a matter for debate at a recent Thurrock Council meeting.

A spokesperson for Uber has contacted YT:

surely the easiest course of action is to do a test purchase prosecute the driver and then there is legal precedent that uber are working illegally

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lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector

But are Uber working illegally?

I wish they were.

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IDFIMH

Uber crackdown: ‘Get licences or leave now’

https://www.thurrockgazette.co.uk/news/ ... leave-now/

Thurrock Council is set to crackdown on Uber over accusations drivers are not obtaining licences from the authority.

The company uses a virtual boundary known as a “geofence” within their app that designates Thurrock as part of Greater London, effectively allowing their drivers and vehicles to operate without having to adhere to the same regulations as competitors.

Thurrock Council says it will now be writing to the company asking them to “withdraw from Thurrock or make an appropriate operator’s licence application”.

It is not clear whether the council has the ability to stop the business from operating if they refuse to get a licence.

It had been implied during a council meeting last year that the company’s actions could be illegal, but a new report says “extensive legal advice” has been obtained and there is “no unlawfulness in the current operation”.

Dave Harmer, an employee at Lakeside and Purfleet Taxi which has operated in the borough for more than 30 years, said: “I don’t think any company in Thurrock is scared of competition as long as it is decent competition and they are insured like we are and follow the same rules as we do.

“Thurrock is a small borough with limited people and we get caught out if we were to do something wrong, but nobody is checking what the Uber does.”

He added that taxi firms that obtain the required licences have to follow strict regulations and are forced to charge slightly higher prices than Uber. The council will discuss the issue in more detail during the next full council meeting.

I think it's really nice that poober inform local LA's where licensing boundaries are,otherwise how would they know?