Revealed: The 12 crashes involving Uber drivers in York since Christmas

There have been at least 12 accidents involving Uber cars in York since Christmas – putting the public ‘constantly at risk’.

And York Private Hire Association are urging councillors to take action to protect residents.

City of York Council voted not to renew Uber’s licence in York in December 2017 but Uber drivers licensed elsewhere still operate in the city.

Uber collisions this year have left a cyclist in Hospital and a woman needing to be cut free from her wrecked car. See below for the full list of accidents.

In the same time period, York Private Hire Association says there have been two accidents involving York registered taxi drivers. One driver has had his licence revoked and the other incident is still under investigation.

They estimate that the Uber accident rate is the equivalent to taxi drivers being involved in 180 crashes a year, based on the fact that there are about 11 times the number of licensed taxis than Uber vehicles.

‘Prosecute Uber’

In a statement to councillors chair of York Private Hire Association Wendy Loveday wrote:

• I just want to draw you attention to the number of crashes caused by Uber drivers as they are driving in a city that they do not know, with a complicated one way system that they fail to navigate, are fully reliant on the five inch SatNav screen rather than looking out of the five foot windscreen, and their lack of knowledge of our city results in crashes and the public being put at risk constantly.
  

She told YorkMix that City of York Council should do three things:

1. publicly recommend that residents take a York Licenced Hackney or Private Hire vehicle
2. prosecute Uber or publicly lobby the Government
3. employ at least two (but preferably more) full-time Taxi Licensing Enforcement Officers that are uniformed and produce a visible presence on our streets.

She said: “Regardless of what they say, the enforcement team is spread far too thinly and concentrate their efforts on the alcohol establsihments rather than on the more dangerous element, which is getting into a car with a complete stranger.

“Let’s have covert operations as well as an active presence and let’s have enforcement out during the days too.”

Matthew Boxall, head of public protection at City of York Council, said: “We ensure that any traffic incidents involving licensed vehicles are reported to the police and that any involving vehicles licensed to another authority are reported to them because they have the necessary powers to deal with any licensing issues.

“We are currently compiling a list of all incidents involving licensed vehicles in the city for the Gambling and Licensing Committee’s October meeting.”

The Uber accidents

Accident no 1: 24 December 2018

An Uber licensed in Leeds was in collision with a cyclist off at the roundabout near Clifford’s Tower. The cyclist taken to hospital by ambulance

Accident no 2: 23 January 2019

A Uber collided with a car at Monkgate roundabout

Accident no 3: 4 March

A woman had to be cut from her car after a crash involving an Uber on Hull Road

Accident no 4: 8 March

A minor collision at the Lawrence Street entrance to the Shell garage, said to involve a Bradford licensed Uber.

Accident no 5: 9 April

One person was taken to hospital after a Uber and a bus collide on Danebury Drive

Accident no 6: 24 April

It happened at the Tang Hall Lane junction with Hull Road

Accident no 7: 5 May

At a junction on Grants Avenue in Fulford and Uber overran the road and finished up on the grass. It happened at about 8.15am when children were walking to nearby schools.

Accident no 8: 19 August

This accident was on Cemetery Road, said to involve an Uber licensed in Bradford

Accident no 9: 7 September

This accident on Station Rise between an Uber and a York taxi saw the taxi scraped the full length on one side.

Accident no 10: 11 September

An Uber licensed in Bradford hit a central refuge on Burton Stone Lane – a 20mph zone.

Plus there have been two accidents which haven’t been caught on camera, both in spring this year. The first, involving an Uber and a pedestrian, happened on Clarence Street. The second, which saw a licensed taxi damaged, was at the University of York.