‘BEGINNING TO WONDER WHY I STILL DO IT’: Guildford taxi driver lifts lid on earnings and tough cross-border trade conditions
A veteran Guildford taxi driver has laid bare the harsh realities of the trade, revealing just how difficult it is to make a living on the town’s ranks.
Paul Pearson, a hackney carriage driver with 30 years of experience, shared his frustrations in a local neighbourhood group. He detailed long hours of waiting for fares, the impact of increasing competition allowed by a controversial loophole called ‘cross border hiring’, and declining earnings.
Pearson pointed to the influx of Transport for London (TfL) private hire vehicles picking up passengers in Guildford as a major challenge. He also raised concerns about Guildford Borough Council’s (GBC) decision to continue issuing new taxi licences despite reduced demand.
A particular sticking point is the sharp reduction in station permits. This year, only 70 have been granted, down from 105 last year, with each costing over £1,000. Those without a permit are now forced to work from alternative ranks, leading to longer waits for jobs.
Pearson illustrated the struggle with detailed accounts of his working days. On Monday 27 January, he started at 4.15pm, waiting over an hour for his first job. After six and a half hours on the rank, he had earned just £30.30. The following days were slightly better, but still far from sustainable. On Wednesday 29 January, eight hours of work brought in just £36.10.
Comparing figures from the previous year, Pearson’s numbers paint a stark picture. In January 2023, he completed 67 fares. This year, at the time of posting, he had managed only 38, covering fewer than 400 miles.
The situation highlights the difficulties faced by Guildford’s taxi drivers, many of whom are struggling to find enough work to justify the long hours on the rank and the ever increasing costs to operate a purpose-built wheelchair accessible taxi.
Pearson said: After 30 years of driving a taxi in Guildford I'm beginning to wonder why I still do it. I spend so many hours sitting on North Street Rank doing nothing for hours on end watching Transport for London Ubers picking up fares all the time.
“It doesn't help when GBC keep issuing new Guildford licences and the station now this year has only allowed 70 permits at over £1,000 per year when there was 105 issued last year. Those that didn't get a permit are now using North Street and M&S ranks so it's taking longer to get a job.”
Why Can London-Licensed Ubers Work in Guildford – And Why Is It Controversial?
London-licensed Uber drivers can legally operate in Guildford due to a legal loophole in taxi and private hire licensing. Under UK law, private hire drivers and vehicles must be licensed in the same local authority, but they can pick up passengers in any location as long as the job is pre-booked through a licensed operator. This is known as “cross-border hiring.”
For Uber, and other ride-hailing operators, this means a driver licensed by Transport for London (TfL) can accept app-based bookings anywhere in England, although the ride-hail company geo-fences TfL drivers to the south-east, even though they are not licensed by Guildford Borough Council (GBC). As long as the booking is dispatched by an operator licensed in London, the journey remains legal.
This practice is highly controversial, particularly among local hackney carriage and private hire drivers. Guildford’s licensed taxi drivers must adhere to strict council regulations relevant to that particular community, including local knowledge tests, vehicle standards, and capped fare structures. Meanwhile, London-licensed Uber drivers operating in the area bypass these local requirements and take work away from locally licensed cabbies.
The issue has sparked repeated calls for reform, with local drivers arguing that councils should have greater control over private hire vehicles operating within their areas. Some local authorities have attempted to introduce stricter rules, but as it stands, cross-border hiring remains a legal – if contentious – reality in Guildford and many other towns across the UK.
