The past year and half has been extremely difficult for the taxi business, but things have been made worse by London Ubers working in the borough.
One driver says the practice is making it impossible for him to carry on working in the trade - forcing him to go on Universal Credit just to make ends meet.
Local cabbie Chris Fletcher said unlicensed Uber drivers working illegally in Welwyn Hatfield are putting the borough's licensed taxi drivers out of business and the council isn't doing enough to help.
Although Welwyn Hatfield do not licence any Uber drivers they aren't able to stop them picking up local fares.
"I'm earning probably 20 or 30 quid a day. It doesn't even cover half my running costs," Chris told this paper.
"We're going under. I'll be honest, I've had to claim Universal Credit, because I don't earn enough money - I don't get anywhere near my running costs.
"I would like to give up myself, but unfortunately I only lease my vehicle. I can't give it back, the vehicle isn't worth as much as what I owe otherwise I would give it back."
"The council is totally ignoring us, totally."
Cross-border driving
The solution to Chris' problem would be to stop Uber drivers working here, and according to the company's website drivers are only able to use drive within the region where they are licensed as a private hire driver.
So which councils licence Uber drivers in Hertfordshire? Well, they wouldn't say.
This paper wasn't able to get a response from Uber to the question: 'Which councils in Hertfordshire licence Uber drivers?'
But Chris told us he knows where they are registered - in London.
He believes that Uber has said they are able to work in Welwyn Hatfield because they consider it to be a greater London borough.
"We need to tell Uber that we're not a London borough. We are in Hertfordshire," Chris added.
"If you want to work here, that's fine.
"Have a local licence, employ local registered drivers, not ones from TFL in London where there's no control over them."
Chris said the issue has been going on for a long time, and back in January of 2020 he asked the council why rules to prevent to out-of-town private hires and taxis operating in Welwyn Hatfield aren't being enforced.
He asked the council to use laws from the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976 relating to hackney carriages within a local authority's jurisdiction, but they responded: "The council carries out all its enforcement in accordance with the appropriate legislation and our adopted enforcement policy."
When this paper asked the council for clarification on this issue, a spokesperson said: "We do not licence any Uber operators or vehicles in Welwyn Hatfield. Taxi law is set at national level and current legislation does not prevent vehicles licensed in one area from operating in another.”
Safety
Chris believes that TFL wouldn't come to Hertfordshire, or anywhere outside of London, to enforce its rules and regulations or to check the drivers.
He raised concerns about the safety of passengers and legality of the drivers - worried that if TFL isn't checking on the Uber drivers in Hertfordshire then no one else will.
But TFL told this paper that if the local authority spotted a private hire vehicle registered to London that committed an offence they would be able to report it to them who would then take action.
TFL also stated they carry out joint operations with other authorities if there are significant ongoing violations of licencing.
So according to TFL, the responsibility for violations is, at least initially, with Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council.
Licence requirements
Last year the council introduced new measures for licensed drivers in the borough insisting new taxis operating in Welwyn Hatfield will need to be wheelchair accessible.
Existing taxis will need to be replaced after eight years and will also need to be able to carry up to four passengers in addition to a person using a wheelchair.
All of the Wheelchair Accessible Vehicles, which will eventually be the whole fleet, have to be clearly identifiable by a 'distinctive silver livery' (ie they must be silver).
Chris feels these requirements are an example of the unfair playing field that Uber drivers don't have to abide by.
He said: "They put that in during a pandemic when nobody was working. totally ridiculous."
Chris referenced a story from a fellow driver who couldn't work for weeks after he got into an accident because his insurance company couldn't obtain a silver car.
The future
One of the most popular areas for taxis might give an insight into what the future holds for licensed taxi drivers in our borough - though it's still not entirely clear.
Outside train stations is one of the most popular areas for people to pick up taxis, but Chris says it is now a sorry sight for drivers.
He said: "Seven days a week sitting there for three, four hours a day and all I see is Uber picking up. It makes me physically sick.
"We are losing work as much as 80 per cent every single day.
"There used to be 10, to 15 taxis outside the station. Now there's four or five, they're all trying to get out."
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here