Uber eyes return to Southend as application confirmed by council leader
- Perry Richardson
- Sep 15
- 2 min read
Uber are looking to operate once again in Southend, after it was confirmed the firm has submitted a formal application to Southend-on-Sea City Council.
The confirmation came during a full council meeting on Thursday, with council leader Daniel Cowan stating: “Uber has applied to operate in Southend.” The move marks a potential return for the ride-hailing giant, which has been absent from the city since its services were effectively halted in 2018 due to concerns around safety and regulatory standards.
The Uber platform allows users to book private hire journeys through a mobile app, providing estimated fares and real-time vehicle tracking. While widely used in cities across the UK, the company’s return to Southend is already drawing attention from local taxi drivers and trade representatives who have historically opposed its presence.
Concerns are being raised once again around the impact Uber could have on the city’s existing taxi trade, including fears over driver displacement.
Uber’s previous attempt to operate in Southend faltered when it lost its local operator licence. In the years since, it has faced similar issues in other parts of the UK, including high-profile licensing battles in London.
In the capital, Transport for London (TfL) initially stripped Uber of its operating licence in 2017 and again in 2019, citing safety failings. However, the firm has since regained permission to operate following appeals and commitments to introduce new safety measures and more robust systems for driver verification and passenger protection.
Across the UK, Uber continues to expand. In 2025, the company launched in several new locations including Aberdeen, Norwich, and Oxford. These moves followed a strategic shift in how Uber interacts with local authorities and licensing processes, often seeking to secure licences in cities and towns where demand for app-based services has grown.
Uber has long argued that it can co-exist with local taxi services and that its presence can provide additional transport options, particularly at peak times or in areas with limited public transport coverage. However, local trade representatives have consistently pushed back, claiming that Uber’s business model can undercut local drivers and saturate the private hire market.
Under the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976, Southend Council is required to assess whether Uber meets the “fit and proper” criteria for an operator licence. This includes checks on how the company operates, the robustness of its driver standards, and whether the licensing authority is satisfied that passenger safety can be maintained.
