Concerns remain after Uber regains city licence

Uber has established itself as a popular method of transport for people wanting to get around York quickly and cheaply after being granted a fresh licence in the city last summer.

The firm had its operating licence renewal refused by City of York Council in 2017 due to data breaches and complaints about drivers, although Uber drivers continued to operate in the city from elsewhere.

Matt Boxall, head of public protection at City of York Council, said Uber had been held to the same "high standards" as taxis and other operators since its licence was approved again in June 2024.

But disability campaigners have raised concerns over access for wheelchair users, while taxi drivers say it feels like York traffic is becoming overrun with drivers who are licensed outside the city.

Flick Williams, a disability rights campaigner who lives in York, said she felt "nothing had changed" for the better over the last year-and-a-half.

"I believe Uber should never have been given a licence in the first place because they do not provide any wheelchair accessible vehicles," she said.

"It takes longer to get a person with a chair on board or a guide dog in a vehicle, so local taxis who provide that service for people are subject to unfair competition because they will do fewer journeys in a day compared to Uber.

"There's also a massive legal loophole because Uber are classed as a ridesharing company and not a taxi company, so that's how they avoid coming under the same kind of scrutiny as locally licensed Hackney carriages and private hire vehicles, which is kind of shocking really."

Uber driver Khalil Afzal has worked with the operator for eight years after getting licensed with Leeds City Council - but still works in York.

He said he often saw other drivers coming into the city from areas such as Wakefield, Bradford and Wolverhampton, adding he felt "people seem to find it easier to get a licence outside of York".

"I've always said if drivers don't know the area, they should have to take a test," Mr Afzal said as he acknowledged some of these drivers may take longer or struggle with jobs if they do not know where they are going.

Another Uber driver, Peter James, who has worked for the ridesharing company for almost four years, said he had been told by customers that "Uber is cheaper than a lot of taxi firms and drivers are more willing to travel to remoter areas of North Yorkshire".

When the council's licensing committee voted to approve Uber's application in June 2024, the York City Taxi Association held a protest outside the council's offices.

One of the conditions the company had to follow with its new licence was ensuring drivers did not park in Hackney carriage spaces around York.

But Arshad Mahmood, association chairman, said this rule was not being following nearly two years on, adding that parking in taxi ranks was "driving locally licensed Hackney carriages out of business".

"We want more regulations and more locally licensed drivers in York," he said.

"Hackney drivers live and work in York, we pay towards licensing fees and we spend income locally, but Uber drivers coming from outside contribute little to nothing to York and the influx has brought in more congestion in York, making the city centre less accessible, and less safe for visitors and residents."

Boxall, from City of York Council, said the authority had been "working hard to improve our processes for drivers and operators licensed in York".

"We've introduced a new policy to ensure high standards of passenger safety and ensure the availability of more electric and low-emission vehicles with a greater focus on improving the supply of wheelchair-accessible vehicles."

The BBC has contacted Uber for comment.

Previously, it said it offered the Uber Access service in a number of cities, with participating drivers specially trained.

It said: "Should we see sufficient volume of private hire wheelchair accessible vehicles sign up to Uber in the city, we would look to make this additional option available for riders in York."

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