SOUTHAMPTON City Council is under fire from taxi drivers for the way it granted a licence to controversial cut-price cab firm Uber.

They claim the decision was undemocratic but despite that, many Sotonians were thrilled to welcome the service to the city.

Clive Johnson, chairman of the Southampton Trade Association, which represents 900 drivers, says the application from the company, whose arrival has sparked protests in cities around the world, should have been put to public consultation.

Instead the decision to grant Uber - which launched in Southampton yesterday - a licence was made by a single council officer – Richard Ivory, the authority's head of legal and democratic services – under delegated powers.

In granting the application the council also gave Uber a special exemption from long-standing regulations which require that all private-hire vehicles in Southampton to display the operator's phone number prominently on the outside of the vehicle – Uber never carry a phone a number, only a website address.

"We didn't even know they had applied for a license," said Mr Johnson, whose association represents drivers of both private hire vehicles and hackney cabs, which are the taxis which can be hailed on the street.

"One person makes the decision without anyone knowing. Where's the transparency? In Reading when Uber applied for a license the council put it out to consultation – Southampton should have done the same."

In March, councillors sitting on Reading Borough Council's licensing committee rejected Uber's application in March on the grounds that there was insufficient demand for the service in their town and there was no clear evidence about the number of vehicles that would be operating or how Uber's office would be manned.

On the question of vehicles displaying a phone number, Mr Johnson, who is also the boss of Radio Taxis, said: "If you are an Uber passenger and you want to make a complaint you have to go through the website or call the council, who then contact Uber. You can call any of our private hire vehicles 24/7.

"Southampton City Council have waived this rule which was introduced on safety grounds. How is that protecting the public?"

Perry McMillan, chairman of Unite Union's Cab Section, echoed Mr Johnson's concerns about the lack of public consultation.

He said: "We weren't asking for a big legal battle with Uber, we just wanted a debate.

"Surely it's wrong that one officer can make this decision."

Uber, which already operates in more than a dozen other UK cities, offering cheap fares to passengers who book and pay for a private hire car directly through its mobile phone app, launched in Southampton yesterday afternoon.

Cllr Matt Tucker, chairman of the city council's licensing committee, said Uber's application was no different from any other from a private individual or firm.

He said: "Under the constitution of the council these applications are normally dealt with under delegated powers.

He said the only grounds that council could have had for turning down the Uber license was over the issue of vehicles not displaying a contact phone number, but he said the council had received legal advice that Uber's website would be "adequate."

He agreed this might set a precedent for future applications.

Leader of the Conservative opposition on the council, Jeremy Moulton, said that Tories would raise the question of licensing when the council reviewed its constitution at its annual meeting in May.

"I think it is right that we look at that we have a more transparent process in the future," he said.

Daily Echo: The Uber app showing cars in Southampton yesterday

Both Mr Johnson and Mr Macmillan raised the question of safety after reports that drivers in other cities where Uber operates were being forced to double the number of hours they would have done before to cover their costs.

"These guys are going to Uber with promises of making lots of money then they are forced to work long hours," said Mr Macmillan. "There's a clear danger because of the length of time they are spending on the road," said Mr Macmillan.

He also said that Uber vehicles would be taking up on-street parking spaces normally used by the public.

"Motorists will notice the effect," he said. "If there's a cruise ship coming in you will see 20 to 30 Uber cabs parking up round Mayflower Park where the public would normally park."

Uber spokesman Harry Porter claimed that the average hours that drivers in London were logged on was 27.

"They are not working crazy hours and two thirds of our drivers join us because they have been recommended to do so by another driver."

Mr Porter denied that parking would be an issue and claimed Uber's arrival would be an inducement for motorists to leave their own cars at home.

Daily Echo: Farhad Ahmaldi

UBER driver Farhad Ahmaldi said he was “happy and excited” to be working for Uber.

The 35 years old has been working as a private hire driver for seven years, and spent the last five with West Quay cars in the city.

The Daily Echo spoke to Farhad less than two hours after the Uber app went live in Southampton and he said he’d had three bookings already.

He said: “It is a strong company and I think it will effect al the private hire cars and taxis in Southampton.”

Shortly after the service launched, there were five Uber vehicles taking bookings in and around the city centre, which could be tracked as they moved around Southampton waiting for bookings.

Furthermore, not all Southampton cab drivers are against the arrival of Uber.

Ian Hall, chairman of Southampton Hackney Association, which represent around 160 drivers of the city’s white taxis, said that provided Uber obeyed licensing regulations they should be treated like any other company.

“As long as everything is done correctly we haven’t got a problem with them” he said.

And he had some harsh words for the existing private hire businesses some of whose drivers were breaching rules by “touting” for business on the streets.

“What they forget is that they have absolutely flooded the city with private hire vehicles and there is not enough business,” said Mr Hall.