Taxi drivers hit back at council’s decision over Blackpool Uber licence

Taxi leaders in Blackpool have hit back at a council decision to approve an operators’ licence for Uber behind closed doors.

The Blackpool Taxi Association, which represents drivers in the town, says the number of complaints made against out-of-town Uber drivers who had already been working in the town, means the application should have gone before the Public Protection Sub-Committee.

Instead, the decision was made by licensing officers using their delegated powers. The approval was revealed at a meeting of the full council last month, with the council saying Uber had fulfilled all the criteria for a private hire operator’s licence.

Coun Paula Burdess, cabinet member for community safety, street scene and neighbourhoods, gave a statement saying the licence had been granted to Uber as there was nothing to “call into question the fitness and propriety of the applicant”.

But Bill Lewtas, secretary of the Blackpool Taxi Association, has challenged this and says members of the association have gathered evidence some Uber drivers had contravened rules including by using taxi ranks.

In a statement issued in response to the council, he said: “I read with interest the explanation from Blackpool Council about the way in which the Uber operators license was issued. What was not mentioned was the complaints made against Uber drivers this year and last.

“In June 2023, we were asked to send in details and footage of wrongdoing by out-of-town taxi drivers. This message was repeated again in April 2024, at a meeting attended by numerous taxi drivers and companies. Obviously, drivers had to be careful not to inflame a difficult situation. Enforcement is not something taxi drivers are trained to do.

“The council gave little or no feedback on this and what action, if any, was taken. But it was evident from taxi driver social media pages the number of complaints was considerable. It is our view these complaints should have been considered as part of the decision-making. This would normally involve the Public Protection Sub-Committee.

“Whilst we understand that a taxi operator’s request for an operator’s license would not normally require a decision by the Public Protection Sub-Committee, this is different because of the complaints.”

Mr Lewtas also said concerns had been raised about a lack of enforcement against out-of-town taxi drivers.

He added: “The statement made about the way in which operators licenses have been issued to other operators is not relevant. The majority of these are one-man airport specialists, for whom there are no complaints.

“Clearly, there is no need for these to be considered by the committee. However, the public protection sub-committee has been used to determine operators licenses in Blackpool in the past.”

Mr Lewtas also questioned why no details of where Uber would be based in Blackpool were revealed, when taxi policy states licences will not be granted for an operating base outside of Blackpool.

The council said the Uber application was treated in the same way as previous applications made by the 27 private hire operators currently licensed in Blackpool.

Coun Burdess told full council: “The issues raised by local taxi drivers about drivers licensed outside of the area could not lawfully be considered in relation to this application. This application was purely about Uber’s suitability to hold an operator’s licence.”