Uber driver banned after passengers hold ladder out of window

An Uber driver caught on camera carrying passengers holding a ladder out of the window of his car has had his licence suspended.

The unnamed driver faced an allegation of having total disregard for public safety after footage was posted on social media in Walsall last September.

Walsall Council branded the driver "foolish" and has now banned him from driving private hire vehicles in the borough for three months.

The BBC has contacted Uber for comment.

Footage captured the car being driven along Alumwell Road with passengers in the front and back seats holding the ladder out of the window.

The clip was uploaded by Mark Calver-Wilkes and captioned "only in Walsall no roof rack no problem," the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

'Unacceptable'

The council's licensing sub committee said the people involved were known to the driver and not fare-paying passengers.

Uber previously said "the safety of customers, drivers and the general public is a top priority for Uber."

Committee chairman Suky Samra said the decision sent out a strong message that they would not tolerate "foolish" acts that put public safety at risk.

"Whether it was a private trip or he had paying passengers in the car, to have a ladder hanging out like that is unacceptable," he said

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Mr Calver-Wilkes, who posted the clip the Facebook, added: "I thought it was funny at the time that's why my wife filmed it - not to cause a man to lose his taxi licence, but his foolishness caused him to do it."

The driver has 21 days to appeal the decision.