Posted on the 3rd December 2025 in PHTM News

BRADFORD UBER DRIVER REFUSES TO PICK UP IN RANK DESPITE LEEDS LICENSING OFFICER SAYING HE CAN

I am Bradford licensed Uber driver and was given job to pick up from the Merchant pub in Leeds on 13th November 2025

The Uber app chooses the most appropriate place for the customer to be picked up, taking into account the time of day, driving conditions and the fact that their is no legal space to pick up from there.

However out of courtesy I rang the customer to ask him if he was OK to come to McDonald’s as this was a legal and safer space to pick up from, but he was adamant that he wanted to be picked up from outside The Merchant (Public house), as that is where he had requested it from.

So I turned my car around to try to pick him up as requested, but I did not going straight to the traffic lights as that would block the way ... And also stayed back to just at the end of the hackney carriage rank, but not parking inside the rank, as I know this is an offence.

However this particular individual who described himself as working for Leeds City Council was gesturing for me to pick him up in the hackney carriage rank.

But I refused, as I told him that we (private hire drivers) are NOT allowed to stop, wait, pick up or drop off in a Hackney carriage rank with taxi signs on the road.

However he was adamant that he has worked in taxi licensing for 27 years at Leeds City Council and although you can't loiter, you are allowed to pick up from a hackney rank..

To which I replied, ”Then why are Bradford council sending out emails to private hire drivers that have stopped on a Hackney carriage rank when a photo has been taken of them and forwarded to the council, and then that individual has been given a formal warning?"

He had no answer to that.

He was very rude and said, he would have a word with the licensing service and make sure this was passed on.

He took a picture of my windscreen sticker with the number and told me that he would be in touch.

To date I haven’t had any kind of response from him or the Licensing service.

??However, my point is, is it not worrying that even the people who allegedly work in taxi licensing departments do not understand the rules and regulations .... never mind enforcing them!


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