Taxi drivers in Blackpool hold protest over 'out-of-town' Uber drivers working the area

Drivers from established taxi firms, including C-Cabs, Premier Cabs and Blacktax, joined the protest by blocking off part of Talbot Road in Blackpool earlier today.

The protest, which lasted for around an hour until lunch time, was accompanied by a large police presence and officers were able to divert traffic around the obstruction.

But the cabbies say they have made their point after months of frustration.

Taxi firms say Uber drivers, who are not licensed to operate in Blackpool, are moving in from areas such as Blackburn, Preston and Bolton and even as far as Liverpool and Manchester.

The protesters say some of the Uber cars are being parked on taxi ranks, which they are not allowed to do because they are classed as private hire cars rather than street cabs.

There are also concerns over loss of income, CBR clearance and the condition of the cars.

They are calling for Blackpool Council, which is the licensing authority for taxis in the resort, to take action over the situation.

What the taxi drivers say

Colin Jones, a driver for Premier Cabs, said: “They are not licensed to operate here and they are taking work from us, which isn’t on.

“Some of them are even parking on the ranks, which they are not allowed to do.

“It isn’t about the cost of the fares, whether they are cheaper or not, it’s the principle of the thing.

“The rules we have to work with, in terms of CBR clearance and the condition of our cars, is stringent to say the least.

“Apart from the MOT, we also have to pass a pit test every year which is really strict. So we take two tests a year and our cars need to be immaculate. Do Uber need to to do all that?

“It’s about a lot of things, including public safety, and we have had enough of it.

“We are calling on Blackpool Council, as the licensing authority, to do something to protect the local fleets which is part of the Blackpool economy.”

Those sentiments were echoed by Dee Grant, one of the directors at C Cabs.

She said: “It’s getting out of hand and something needs to be done.

“As much as anything, it’s a safeguarding issue.

“We had a meeting with Blackpool Council and they said there was nothing they could do because the Uber drivers were from outside Blackpool and beyond their jurisdiction.

“That’s too easy, we’d like to see them work with the police and stop them from coming here from all over Lancashire - it’s beyond a joke.

“If we have to operate under strict licenses, the pay-off should be that we have protection from the local authorities.”

What the council says

A Blackpool Council spokesman said: “Taxi operators have alerted us to instances of Uber drivers operating in Blackpool and their concerns around this. The safety of our residents and visitors is always our priority.

 “Uber is not licensed by Blackpool Council currently. We are seeking legal opinion in relation to this matter, as we are conscious that the legal framework around taxi legislation is outdated and requires review. “This is not a situation that is unique to Blackpool. We are speaking to the Local Government Association as well as our neighbouring authorities to ensure we deal with this robustly.”

Uber were approached but have not responded with a comment.

Who are Uber?

Uber Technologies, Inc., commonly referred to as Uber, is an American multinational transportation  company that provides ride-hailing services, food delivery, courier  services and freight transport.

It is headquartered in San Francisco, California, and operates in approximately 70 countries and 10,500 cities worldwide.

Uber is said to be the largest ride sharing company  worldwide with over 150 million monthly active users  and 6 million active drivers and couriers.