Uber granted licence to pick up passengers in Blackpool

Taxi operator Uber has now been formally granted a licence by Blackpool Council to pick up passengers in the resort.

The decision was made by town hall licensing officers after the company fulfilled all the criteria for a private hire operator’s licence.

Uber drivers had already been plying for trade in Blackpool, but were licensed by other local authorities – mainly Wolverhampton. But now drivers will be able to register with Uber to work under the new Blackpool licence.

It also means Blackpool Council will be able to monitor and inspect Uber drivers who are licensed with them.

There have been complaints from existing cabbies in the town of Uber drivers allegedly acting irresponsibly. In June drivers from established taxi firms, including C-Cabs, Premier Cabs and Blacktax, joined a town centre protest against the influx of out-of-town drivers.

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

She said: “In circumstances where these criteria are met we have a legal duty to issue the licence, which is exactly what has happened in this case.”

The application, which was submitted in July, was treated in the same way as previous applications made by the 27 private hire operators currently licensed in Blackpool which is why it did not need to go before the public protection sub-committee for consideration.

Coun Burdess said: “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.”

Earlier this year the council along with Wyre and Fylde councils produced a leaflet aimed at dispelling some of the common myths around out-of-town taxis.

Coun Burdess added: “I know that the arrival of Uber in Blackpool is worrying for the existing taxi trade. Independent retailers and hoteliers have faced the same concerns over the years when national and international companies have started operating here.

“There is nothing we can do, or should do, to stop businesses coming to Blackpool if they are legally allowed to and are operating within the law.

“The presence of Uber as an operator in the town means that vehicles and drivers licensed in Blackpool can be regulated by us, giving us greater control to tackle the issues that have been mentioned.”

Since the deregulation of the taxi industry in 2015, private hire drivers have been able to operate anywhere in England and Wales with a local authority licence.

Blackpool taxi driver Neil Charnock launched a petition in July calling on the government to review the deregulation of taxis which he says is damaging livelihoods.

He said at the time: “At Lytham Festival recently there were 300 Ubers lined up, and that’s surely got to affect the Lytham people making a living? On a Friday night on the M55, you can see them all coming into Blackpool in convoy, and some of them have travelled a long way.

“I’m open to competition, but you don’t steal work from your neighbour. I live in Poulton and I can’t pick up there because I have a Blackpool badge. It’s a gentlemen’s agreement.”