On the 13th of December 2017, York became the third city in the UK to ban the multi-million private hire company Uber from operating within the city.

This decision to ban the firm came after complaints from both taxi drivers and customers alike. These complaints ranged from the poor service quality provided by the firm to the claims that the company was monopolising the taxi cab industry.

A few months later, on the 14th of March 2018, Uber dropped its legal fight against the York city council and seemingly admitted defeat.

 At the time of Uber dropping it’s legal fight, a spokesman announced that “following recent changes we’ve made in the UK, as well as numerous licence renewals in cities including Sheffield and Cambridge, we have decided to withdraw our appeal in York”.

“Rather than take up valuable court time and costs we intend to apply afresh for a new licence in the near future.”

The firm did state their intention to apply for a license within the city in the future.

However, during the passing months following the company’s lost appeal, it appears that Uber have found a legal loophole in the ‘ban’ and have began operating in York once again. 

In a council meeting on the 25th of October, two local taxi drivers pitched their pleas to York councilors to step up their efforts in preventing Uber from operating within the city walls. 

The first driver to speak was Mike Palmer. Palmer firstly reminded councilors that he had “spoke about this problem last year”.

He went on to add that “we are still seeing Uber drivers in York, not just working unsafely but also illegally”.

Palmer warned councilors that the continued operation by Uber “continues to lower safety for road users in York”.

His parting words were “this country should be able to look at York as a forerunner for keeping cab standards high”.

Palmer’s fellow cab driver, Steve Nelson, was next to speak in front of the councilors.

Nelson informed councilors that there  is an “enormous amount of evidence to suggest that Uber are still working illegally in York, despite that fact that there are 2 high court judgements stating that Uber cannot operate in York”.

Furthermore, Nelson stated that “there is proof that Ubers operating system is illegal as it is the driver that is accepting the booking and not the operator”

His parting statement was that “Uber are willingly breaking the law and the council are unwittingly allowing them to do this”.

This is an issue that has affected the city of York for almost a year and shows little signs of being completely resolved within the near future.