Warning over Uber taxis licensed 100 miles away

During police spot checks of over 200 private hire vehicles, all those with faults were Ubers, a councillor said

People in Lancashire are being warned about using private hire taxis that are licenced in other parts of the country.

The warning comes after spot checks of more than 200 cabs operating in South Ribble and Preston.

All the vehicles that were taken off the road or found to have faults were licensed in Wolverhampton.

In May the BBC reported that 96% of taxi driver licences issued in Wolverhampton in the last year were for people living outside the city.

Lancashire Police stopped private hire and Hackney vehicles across South Ribble and Preston during a night of spot checks

Councillor Jane Bell, chair of South Ribble Council's licensing and public safety committee, told a recent meeting: "They were all Uber taxis…licensed in Wolverhampton.

"So…please be very careful when you use an Uber – you may not be safe.

"You certainly won’t be as safe as in our taxis, because our policies are very strict – and stricter than a lot of other boroughs.”

Lancashire Police said about 85 of the vehicles stopped during the summer operation were licensed in the Midlands city despite it being about 100 miles away from central Lancashire.

The City of Wolverhampton Council was involved in the operation.

Since deregulation of the private hire trade in 2015, a driver can get their licence and plates from any council no matter where they live or where they will be plying their trade.

Neither South Ribble Borough Council nor Preston City Council currently licences Uber vehicles, which are classed as private hires.

A spokesperson for Uber said: "Uber operates according to the high standards set across the industry and abides by the same regulations as all other private hire operators.

"We engage closely with councils across the country and are happy to discuss any issues with them.”

The firm said every driver who uses the Uber app has been licensed by a local council.