Uber planning to launch in Bristol

Good news for drunk and drugged up students: private driver app Uber could soon be coming to Bristol as part of its plans to expand across the UK.

Uber, which has positioned itself as a cheaper, more user-friendly alternative to traditional taxi services, currently only operates in London, Birmingham, Manchester and Leeds.

But, Bristol could be next on the list as the firm has submitted an application to Bristol City Council to operate in the city.

Uber have been dogged by controversy, with taxi drivers claiming the firm doesn’t perform thorough enough checks on its drivers.

Could your next pick up location be Woodland Road?

They’ve also come under criticism for supposedly failing to comply with fair trade and insurance regulations and there have even been anti-Uber demonstrations in France, India and Australia.

We spoke to an employee of one of Bristol’s main taxi firms about the potential arrival of Uber in the city. Surprisingly, they were far from negative.

“We NEED Uber” he said. “98 per cent of people in Bristol feel they’re being ripped off by taxi firms, but absolutely nothing has been done to stop it. The taxi service of many firms is absolutely disgraceful, charging people up to £50 and upwards to get to Motion. Go onto the streets of Bristol at night and ask people whether they think they’re getting good value for money, there will be some absolute horror stories.

Taxi drivers in London staged an anti-Uber protest

“Uber was created to tackle the global injustice of the taxi industry, and they’re doing an excellent job of it. Their prices are fair and they run an incredibly efficient service. The chances are – if they get their operating permit, I will most likely starting working for them.”

The question remains whether Bristol, a city proud of winning 2015 European Green capital, will accept the proposals of this forward-thinking taxi firm. If students had a say though, it’s quite likely the response would be a resounding yes.