Plymouth City Council committee to vote on allowing Uber to operate
The app-based firm has applied for a five-year licence
Councillors in Plymouth are set to vote on whether to allow Uber to operate in the city.
The app-based ride service, which offers pre-paid journeys to passengers by connecting them to a driver, has applied for a private hire vehicle operators' licence.
Uber says it intends to run 160 licenced vehicles per year, operating over a five year period, from a new office in Plymouth.
Plymouth City Council's taxi licencing committee will meet on Thursday to decide whether to allow the firm, and app-based service Smartzi, to run services.
The Committee will consider whether Uber and Smartzi meet the Council's taxi licencing policy, which includes whether both company director's are 'fit and proper persons', and the length and conditions of a licence.
A report by licencing officers states that whilst granting the application would "potentially affect other private hire operators in the city - the committee is reminded that this is not a factor to be considered when deciding the application."
Councillor Sally Haydon, Cabinet Member for Community Safety said:
"We all know that people who enjoy our great night life here in Plymouth repeatedly struggle to get home and this has been going on for the last few years. Something has to change if our clubs, bars and venues are to survive in the long term.
"We are also acutely aware that a decision to grant a private hire licence to these companies could have consequences for our existing trade, but the committee has to take a decision based on very clear legal guidelines. This will be a very interesting debate."