An all-day meeting of the Brighton and Hove city council licensing committee has heard from taxi and Privat hire companies who want Uber’s Licence revoked because it is not “fit and proper.”
Customers speaking in support of the ride-hailing app praised its convenience and user-friendliness. Well they would, they don't care about safety or regulation....they just want cheap.
But opponents have cited a data breach and a lack of wheelchair-accessible vehicles as reasons to pull the licence, which was first granted in November 2015. Also to be mentioned is the fact that Uber allows 13,000 of its London drivers to carry on working, knowing they've had fake criminal record checks and many have had fake medicals. Uber rapes by drivers on passengers were up last year by 50% to over one a week.
Chairwoman Cllr Jacqui O’Quinn told the meeting that under current cross-boarder regulations, even if the council revokes the licence, Uber drivers licensed elsewhere will still be entitled to operate in the city.
After lunch Uber barrister Philip Kolvin said the company was not trying was not trying to “skirt round” the city’s regulations. Makes a change from their normal policy of "it's easier to seek forgiveness than permission".
He said Uber had regionalised its business and prevented London-licensed drivers from operating in the city. But speaking to local drivers, his is far from the truth as TfL roundels can be spotted daily on many vehicles working the Uber app.
Uber have tried bribing their drivers, offering them up to £1,000 to switch from a London licence to a Brighton licence.
The company said they could have 20 wheelchair accessible vehicles (WAV) by the time it has 100 drivers here. It currently has only has 62 with WAVs few and far between.
A decision will be announced on Wednesday.
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