Taxi drivers in Lincoln unhappy with the number of Ubers operating around the city

Taxi drivers in Lincoln say they have seen a downturn in trade after Uber started operating in the city.

Hackney cab drivers say Uber drivers licensed by councils elsewhere in the country sometimes tout for business in areas they are not allowed to.

Every taxi driver licensed in Lincoln has to do a knowledge test to check how well they know the city, but during the last few months they say trade has dropped off due to the arrival of Ubers from out of town."It started with two or three cars, then all of a sudden it's at least 20 or 30 now and they're just doing what they want to do," said licensed driver Steven Olerenshaw."They aren't operating illegally, but Uber are slashing the prices to force other businesses out of existence," added Richard Hodgson, another cab driver.

The taxi drivers say licenses are being granted in places such as Wolverhampton in big numbers, but then Uber drivers are operating in Lincoln without facing the same requirements to do so.

City of Wolverhampton Council said in a statement: "[We] currently licence 40 drivers across Lincolnshire, and 17 vehicles.

"Public safety is of paramount importance to us. We expect drivers and vehicles licensed by us to always maintain the highest standards."

Another driver, Mick, said Uber had "stormed" the town.

"If you wanted to start a private hire company here you'd be restricted about how many cars you can have," he said.

"At weekends, [Ubers] just come in from miles around to work here because of the students and the kids.

"I think the kids are used to Uber back in Sheffield, Nottingham, wherever they come from," he said.

"It gets to the point where there's no work for the local cabbies anymore."

City of Lincoln council said that national regulations now mean that all private vehicles can work without geographical restrictions.

In a statement, Uber said: "Uber operates according to the high standards set across the industry and abides by the same regulations as all other private hire operators."

Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know.