For years, the Isle of Wight has been one of the few places in the UK where Uber simply didn’t exist. Local taxi drivers had built their businesses around that fact. Now, that’s about to change — and the reaction from the island’s cab trade has been swift, angry, and entirely understandable.
The Isle of Wight Council has granted Uber an operator’s licence, with the company confirming it is working on plans to launch in the coming months. Uber says it sees strong demand on the island — particularly around the Isle of Wight Festival — and that the move will give people a safe, affordable and easy way to get around, while also opening up new earning opportunities for local drivers.
The island’s existing cab trade sees things very differently.
“They will ruin the business”
Matt Hayles has been driving taxis on the Isle of Wight for 14 years. He didn’t mince his words when the news broke. His view is that Uber will undercut everybody to build the business up initially, and then push prices back up once the competition has been squeezed out. He pointed out that the island simply doesn’t have the footfall that makes Uber’s model work in big cities, and that local drivers already work double the hours of the average person just to earn comparable money. The arrival of a well-funded global competitor with a massive advertising budget, he warned, will force existing drivers to work even harder for even less.
Karoly Katona from Leaders Cabs was more measured but no less concerned. More cars inevitably means fewer jobs per driver, he said, and the night-time trade — often the most lucrative for island cabbies — is likely to take a particular hit. He acknowledged that for passengers, the arrival of Uber might well be a good thing. For the drivers, he’s far less sure.
Asem Ivanov from OK Taxis raised a more practical concern about Uber’s model on an island. The ride-hailing business relies on constant back-to-back trips to be financially viable for drivers — but on the Isle of Wight, dropping a passenger in Ventnor means there’s almost no chance of picking someone up for a return journey. The geography alone makes Uber’s typical operating model a much trickier proposition here than in a busy mainland city.
What does the council say?
The Isle of Wight Council confirmed that its licensing policy does not require consultation with the existing trade or the public before granting an operator’s licence. Officials added that it is not the authority’s role to assess or oversee the business plans of applicants. In other words — Uber applied, met the criteria, and got the licence. That’s the end of it, as far as the council is concerned.
Whether local drivers feel that’s good enough is another matter entirely. Several pointed out that they jump through considerable hoops to maintain their licences and keep their vehicles on the road, yet had no say whatsoever in a decision that could fundamentally reshape their industry on the island.
Uber’s position
Uber said the move will help boost earning opportunities for local drivers, provide passengers with greater transport options, and support the local economy. The company also highlighted that its drivers have access to holiday entitlement, pension schemes, and union representation through GMB. The council’s licensing team confirmed it will be working with Uber over the coming months as they set up operations on the island.
Whether the island’s market is genuinely big enough to sustain Uber alongside the existing trade remains to be seen. But for the cabbies who’ve spent years building businesses there, the uncertainty is already doing damage — and the launch hasn’t even happened yet.
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Sources
Isle of Wight County Press — Uber to Launch on the Isle of Wight in the Coming Months
Isle of Wight County Press — Taxi Drivers Slam Uber Coming to Isle of Wight
PHTM — Isle of Wight Cabbies Sound Alarm as Uber Moves In
Yahoo News UK — Island Taxi Drivers Fear Uber Arrival Could Ruin Business
