Posted on the 3rd February 2026 in PHTM News

CORNISH TAXI DRIVERS SOUND THE ALARM AS UBER THREATENS RURAL "DEVASTATION"

Local taxi drivers are warning that the arrival of Uber in Cornwall could "destroy" rural communities and dismantle local businesses that have served the Duchy for decades.

Since Uber was granted a private hire licence by Cornwall Council last May, independent cabbies have raised concerns that the Silicon Valley giant will push out traditional hackney carriages.

Falmouth-based driver Brett Bennett warns that the shift will be "devastating," noting that "if all of a sudden Uber takes over, then hackney cars are going to disappear."

He fears that vulnerable residents, such as "the elderly woman who goes to the doctors every week," will be left stranded as local firms collapse under the pressure.

While Uber claims it is "creating new earning opportunities for local drivers and expanding affordable transport options," local cabbies argue the reality on the ground is far different. Drivers report that Uber is already charging significantly higher rates—in one instance £21 for a journey that costs £12 in a local cab—while lacking the essential local knowledge of Cornwall's winding roads.

There is a growing fear that Uber drivers will stick to busy hubs such as Truro and Newquay, leaving smaller villages such as Porthleven and Looe without service because: "Uber is not going to go to those rural places because they can't guarantee a second pickup."

The struggle is further compounded by Cornwall's notorious "dead zones" for internet signal, making app-based booking impossible in many remote areas.

Beyond the tech issues, drivers feel abandoned by the local authority, with Mr. Bennett stating: "I just feel that the taxi industry isn't being looked after in Cornwall. The council doesn’t seem to care."

As the council prepares to discuss a controversial plan to merge the old district councils into one single area, veteran drivers worry that "undercutting local set council tariffs" on certain journeys will eventually leave the public with no choice but to use a service that doesn't prioritise the local community.

Currently taxis in Cornwall are licensed in six separate areas, based on the old district councils of Penwith, Kerrier, Carrick, Restormel, North Cornwall, and Caradon.

The consultation to remove the six zones to create one single taxi area for all of Cornwall, closed on December 31, 2025 - the results are due to be discussed in March by the Council’s Community Wellbeing Overview and Scrutiny Committee.


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