An Uber driver licensed by Knowsley Council has contacted DM News after being confronted while working in the village of Uppermill.
The driver, who lives in Oldham, Manchester, was operating on the Uber app when a local man approached him. The encounter was filmed by the driver.
In the video, the man can be heard telling the driver that he “shouldn’t be here” in Uppermill because the vehicle is plated in Knowsley. He goes on to say that there are local taxi drivers in the area and claims the Uber driver is “doing them out of business,” before repeatedly telling him to leave. The man then walks away, finishing with the words: “You shouldn’t be here, simple.”
The exchange did not appear to escalate beyond a verbal confrontation, and no physical threats were made in the footage shared with DM News. However, the driver said the interaction left him uncomfortable and concerned while simply carrying out app-based work.
DM News Commentary
This incident highlights the ongoing tension around out-of-area licensing and cross-border working — a long-standing issue within the private hire trade.
Legally, private hire drivers are allowed to accept pre-booked work anywhere in England and Wales, provided the booking is taken by an operator licensed by the same authority as the vehicle and driver. App-based platforms like Uber rely heavily on this system, which is why drivers licensed in one council area can legally work in another. Watch the video below:
That said, situations like this show how poorly understood the rules still are by the public — and even within parts of the trade itself. While frustrations about local work and competition are real, confronting drivers in the street is not the answer and risks escalating into something more serious.
From a driver safety perspective, filming interactions like this is often the only protection drivers feel they have. Ultimately, clearer national rules and better public awareness are needed to stop these confrontations happening in the first place.
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