BLACK cab taxi drivers across the central belt are fighting back against megacorp Uber which they claim is “destroying” the trade.
“We aren’t going to tolerate this any longer,” one driver told The Sunday National.
Taxis, often referred to as “black cabs” or “hackney cabs”, are iconic across Scotland. They differ from Private Hire Vehicles (PHVs) as taxis can be hailed on the streets or pick up passengers from ranks.
The number of PHVs - commonly associated with Uber - has grown exponentially over the last decade.
Today, the number of PHVs on the road in Edinburgh alone stands at 3002, nearly triple the number of black cabs at around 1100 — aided by the fact that the black cab fleet in Scotland’s capital is capped at 1300 vehicles, while PHV licenses have no cap at all.
This has been described as “virtually a free-for-all” in Scotland’s capital by black cab driver and union representative Keith Auld, who has set up a petition to push Edinburgh Council to create a cap as Auld claims it’s becoming dangerous for both drivers and passengers.
It has already gained thousands of signatures and is part of a mounting fight back, with drivers across Scotland uniting to take action as they claim private hire cars associated with Uber are putting the black cab trade at risk of extinction.
“I believe that the taxi industry is under a serious threat. It's currently oversaturated. It’s at that point where people’s pockets are getting hit,” Auld said.
“We will be working with our Glasgow colleagues and we will be looking at action because we are not going to tolerate this any longer.”
He added: “I've noticed more and more private hire vehicles working in Edinburgh. Myself and my colleagues - it's affecting us financially and also the roads are becoming so congested it’s pretty unsafe now.”
Jamie Stalker, 49, a driver in Edinburgh with over a decade of experience in the trade says Uber is deliberately forcing black cabs off the roads.
“It's sad to say that it is a dying trade which is pushed by the agenda of Uber bringing in as many private hires as they can. We might not be here in five, ten years time,” he said.
Stalker added: “I think what's happening right now is a systemic demise of the black cab trade.”
David Horsburgh serves as the clerk for The Association of Hackney Carriage Drivers of The City of Edinburgh and has been in the trade for over twenty years.
Horsburgh said: “Uber is never going to support a cap because it doesn't work for their business model. The more cars they can get on the road, the more drivers they can get to sign up to their app, the more they can discount their fares.”
“They use their funding to destroy local companies and once those local companies are gone they won’t be coming back.”
These comments come just days after Uber announced its rollout of autonomous vehicles, set to arrive in London next Spring - which Horsburgh says isn’t compatible with Edinburgh’s narrow and windy roads.
Horsburgh also highlighted the historical significance of the trade in Edinburgh.
“If we don't do something about this, I'd say in the next ten to 15 years you could see the end of a trade that's been serving this city since 1645, over 400 years,” he said.
A separate petition in Glasgow has also gained a lot of support and is supported by Unite the Union, who said in a statement: “Uber has a long record of avoiding local rules, lobbying councils, and putting profits first. Uber doesn’t own cars or employ drivers - they just run an app. Their goal is to make money for shareholders, not to provide public transport, not to keep people safe.”
The situation, however, is different given Glasgow currently has an existing PHV license cap but it is being considered for removal after it was called into question by stakeholders who were concerned about the city’s night-time economy. The cap has been criticised for restricting transport options during the late evening when there is a high demand for safe travel.
This has resulted in a consultation that will invite views from drivers, businesses, and the public. The feedback will help determine whether the cap should be scrapped, kept or updated.
Local licensing councillor in Glasgow, Alex Wilson, has supported keeping a cap on PHV licenses in the city but is awaiting further information from the consultation.
Councillor Wilson said: “I think the private hire trade and the taxi trade need to be protected. I think our drivers are exceptional. I think we do have, a really good trade in Glasgow and I would like to see that stay.” He added.
The consultation on the Glasgow cap does not have a definitive release date but drivers are hoping the evidence gathered is in favour of the black cab trade, if not it could spell the end for Glasgow’s iconic Hackney fleet.
Uber is currently advocating for the removal of the PHV cap in Glasgow and opposes the creation of a cap in Edinburgh.
An Uber spokesperson said removing the Glasgow cap would “give passengers greater transport options and support local businesses, in particular in the nighttime economy.”
