Uber bids to return to city after six-year ban

The ride-hailing firm previously had its York licence refused following complaints

Uber could once again operate private hire cars in York after a six-year ban.

The ride-hailing firm had its licence renewal refused by City of York Council in December 2017, following complaints from local taxi drivers.

However, Uber drivers from other areas have been allowed to operate legally in the city despite the ban.

Uber submitted a fresh licence application in March, which will be discussed at a council meeting on Tuesday.

When Uber's licence was refused in 2017, the council gave two main reasons.

The first was that there was a significant data breach in 2016 which affected 57m users, and the company had failed to report this to the authorities.

There had also been a rise in complaints about Uber drivers in York, which indicated to the council that there were "management issues".

A council meeting on Tuesday will determine whether Uber can operate in York

Saf Din, Chair of the York Hackney Carriage Drivers Association, organised a petition against the licence renewal in 2017, which drew 1,397 signatures.

Other drivers raised concerns about background checks on drivers.

An Uber spokesman at the time said competition was good for the local economy and all vehicles and drivers were checked.

"This is a disappointing vote for the riders and drivers who use our app in the city," he said.

From April 2023 to March 2024, a council report detailed 31 complaints against Uber in York.

The majority complained about waiting on a taxi rank, plying for hire and the standard of driving.

For all other taxis in the same period, there were 104 complaints, which involved standard of driving and conduct.

The licensing committee will meet at 17:30 BST on Tuesday to discuss the application by Uber Britannia Limited.

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