Concerns raised Uber drivers are using Harborough taxi ranks illegally

Harborough’s MP claims Uber drivers are using local taxi ranks illegally and has raised fears it could cause problems for passengers.

Neil O’Brien said he is worried if those drivers are ‘doing illicit cash-in-hand work’, there will ‘be a safety problem at some point’.

Local taxi drivers are licensed with Harborough District Council while Uber drivers have to be licensed, but not with the local authority of the area in which they work.

The MP added if drivers from outside the district are picking up passengers illegally he is concerned they could have ‘poor standards generally and treat passengers badly’. He is also worried drivers from other areas are taking trade from locals, who have paid to be able to work in the district.

Harborough District Council said they would be discussing the issues with local taxi drivers at the next forum meeting and would undertake some weekend evening surveillance.

Mr O’Brien said: “The taxi drivers in Harborough are regulated by the local council and they have to pay significant sums of money to operate in our area. Typically, this will be £320 for their taxi licences, a further £360 to EMR for use of the taxi rank at Market Harborough Station, plus other costs that can take the total bill to around £1,000. Additionally, taxi drivers here go through much more rigorous testing to get their taxi licences than in other areas.

“Despite this, Harborough taxi drivers are facing a challenge from Uber drivers who are licenced in other council areas. These councils have much lower standards and charge a lot less than the licences issued in Harborough. Despite this, I understand that Uber drivers are using the taxi ranks and picking up fares in the town, which they are not allowed to do.

“Often these drivers have come from quite far away. I am worried if taxi drivers from elsewhere are hanging around here, and doing illicit cash-in-hand work which they are not allowed to do, that there will be a safety problem at some point.

“The Harborough taxi drivers told me that they want the council to take proper enforcement action to avoid these abuses and to ensure that they can operate properly, as per the terms of their licences issued by the council in Harborough. As such, I have written to Harborough Council to see what they can do to crack down on this kind of behaviour from taxis that are licenced elsewhere.”

Harborough District Council environment spokesman Coun Darren Woodiwiss said: “Out-of-town drivers who are not licensed through the council are prohibited from using taxi ranks in and around Market Harborough and picking up unsolicited fares. We understand the frustrations of our local taxi drivers and the safety concerns they have raised and will look to undertake some weekend evening surveillance.

“National legislation dictates that we only have enforcement powers to deal with drivers licensed by the council. However, if reported, we will always ask drivers licensed by another local authority to move on when they are observed using a taxi rank in the district and make contact with the relevant local authority who can deal with the driver directly.”

Uber has been contacted for a comment but did not reply.