San Francisco based company to start operating taxis in Swindon

It has emerged the controversial company has been granted a licence to operate in Swindon as it seeks to grow in the UK.

The San-Francisco based company first launched in 2009 and has seen massive expansion in recent years.

Instead of calling for a taxi in a traditional way, UBER customers use an app to book a car and a nearby driver will pick up the call.

Operating in hundreds of cites around the world, the company has seen its popularity increase with users praising its convenience.

The fee is set in advance and can be split between different people. The car can be easily tracked using GPS and a photo of the driver is included with the booking so the customer knows who to look for.

However, many people have questioned the safety of the system, arguing the drivers do not have to undergo the same level of scrutiny before getting a job although UBER drivers go through the same checks as other firms. 

Black cab drivers in London have held a number of protests at UBER’s arrival in the capital and while the company was not available for comment on its Swindon move, it maintains rigorous checks are carried out.

But several Swindon firms have concerns about the impact it will have on the local market, as drivers do not necessarily need to come from the Swindon area.

Ramin Pahlavan, a co-owner at United Radio Cars, said: “We do have some concerns. People like their drivers to know the area but UBER drivers do not have to come from Swindon.

“This means any driver from anywhere can pick up in Swindon. Also, the drivers often do not realise the costs which UBER charge.

“This will lead to money leaving the local economy. As it stands, someone using a Swindon taxi firm pays a Swindon driver and a Swindon firm. This is not the case with UBER.”

UBER also use a process known as surge pricing, which means the cost of travelling during peak periods rises to reflect demand.

The company justifies this by saying it is seeking to ensure reliability during peak periods.

But some companies fear this will lead to customers suffering.

A spokesman for V Cars said: “Competition is a good thing and we are confident of taking UBER on. But if UBER put their prices up between say 7am and 9am, drivers will understandably go and work for them to get a higher price.

“This will mean no other company can respond during this period so the customer ends up paying more.”

All drivers in Swindon must have full criminal record checks and while there have also been concerns elsewhere about UBER drivers, the council says all will abide by the same laws.

A council spokesman said: “Uber will be required to abide by the same regulations and security checks that all other taxi operators in the Borough are subject to, and Uber have agreed to that. They and their drivers will be treated in exactly the same way as every other taxi business.”

A spokesman for UBER said: "We were granted a license in Swindon last year, however this isn't necessarily an indication of when we might launch.

"There are a other steps we need to go through, such as finding the right people locally to run the business. As such we don’t as yet have a fixed date for being operational in the town.

"In the UK Uber is fully licensed and regulated in every city it operates in and all drivers who use the Uber app are fully licensed private hire drivers.

"Millions of people in fifteen towns and cities across the country now use our app to get a convenient, safe and affordable ride at the push of a button.

"For drivers who partner with us it's also a chance to be their own boss as they can decide when and where they work. We look forward to bringing Uber to many more towns and cities across the UK in the coming months."