Elmbridge Borough Council has launched a Stage One investigation following a formal complaint submitted by Unite the Union regarding persistent breaches by TfL-licensed Uber vehicles at Weybridge train station taxi rank.
Local drivers report months of loitering and illegal parking by Uber vehicles - waiting for work without bookings, occupying the rank and with TfL-licensed Uber vehicles parked inside the car parks and loitering for work.
The car parks belong to Elmbridge Borough Council, and drivers say Uber vehicles never pay for the parking. Yet the council has repeatedly claimed it “didn’t see anyone.”
A major concern is that around 50% of the taxi rank area is not covered by Uber’s geofence, allowing vehicles to loiter just outside the designated zone - either directly next to the rank or in the Weybridge Heath North and South car parks, located on both sides of the train station.
These spots are routinely used by Uber drivers waiting for jobs, despite not having pre-bookings.
The twist? When drivers submit video evidence, the council refuses to act - arguing the footage wasn’t filmed by them.
This position was confirmed last year by the Data Protection department after a legal enquiry from W Davies Solicitors.
As a result, driver-recorded violations are effectively inadmissible, leaving enforcement toothless and Uber unchecked.
Miroslav Podlecki, a leading voice in the Elmbridge taxi trade, told PHTM: “It’s a clever combination—don’t record, don’t acknowledge, and claim nothing’s wrong. We hope this investigation finally breaks that pattern.”
Further updates are expected as Unite the Union and local advocates push for accountability.
The council has voted to write to the Government to express its concerns and demand regulatory reform in a move it said would protect passengers.
The proposal, which calls for eight or nine taxi bays at The Approach Car Park, was part of a discussion during a Rochford Council meeting regarding a £96,000 car park revamp.
The discussion was prompted by The Casey Report, which audited practices for preventing child sexual exploitation and suggested making CCTV compulsory in all taxis.
The criminal damage and public order offence took place on Monday, September 8, at approximately 1:30pm, at the taxi rank in Duncombe Place.
The successful provider has been promised a 'premium taxi office location' close to the terminal. The airport has also offered advertising support for the winning bid.
The decision, which will allow Uber to operate directly in the south Cumbria area, has been met with anger from independent operators.
The Bournemouth Taxi Rank Association, representing around 100 hackney drivers, has launched a petition against South Western Railway in response to the reported plan.
The 12-week consultation was approved by the city council's licensing committee following pushback from private hire drivers over a "too strict" new policy.
The committee was presented with a history of misconduct, including a recent assault charge involving the driver’s daughter.
The girl, Lottie Turner, was a passenger in an A1 Cars taxi on Wednesday, September 10, when the driver made an unauthorised stop to pick up a second, "vulnerable" man.
The issue was brought to a head during a September 15 meeting of Kirklees Council’s Licensing and Safety Committee, which was set to vote on a fee increase for hackney and private hire licences.
Speaking in Parliament on Thursday, September 11, Chris Webb MP highlighted the negative impact on the local economy and the livelihoods of taxi drivers.
Stafford Borough Council has updated its taxi licensing policy to permit black hackney carriages in the area, ending its long-standing rule that only white vehicles could be used.
Geraldine Grocott, 39, pleaded guilty to burglary, theft, driving while disqualified, and driving without insurance.
Terry Williams, who has driven for Oakwood Cars for about ten years, was transporting two women on a rural road in Buckinghamshire when a tree began to fall in front of them.
This comes seven years after the popular ride-hailing service was banned in 2018 due to safety concerns.
Jane Mollett, 49, of Gorleston, admitted to seven counts of fraud at Norwich Crown Court.
The Magical Taxi Tour sees a convoy of licensed London taxis take over 200 children, suffering from a range of debilitating illnesses, on a three-day trip of a lifetime to Disney Paris.
HerFleet is set to officially launch with a special event. The launch marks a pivotal moment for the city, championing a new era of safe, professional, and innovative transport.
Neil Charnock, a cabbie with 23 years of experience, is urging the council to support a national campaign led by GM Mayor Andy Burnham to close a legislative loophole that allows the practice.