London Underground strikes: Furious commuters slam Uber for price hike amid Tube strike chaos with some paying £40 morehttps://www.mylondon.news/lifestyle/tra ... s-23248394London commuters caught up in Tube strike chaos in the capital today (March 1) have accused Uber of bumping up its prices as people struggle to find alternative transport to get to work. Furious Londoners took to social media to accuse the private hire company of ripping off the public with some complaining they had been charged £40 more than the price of a normal fare.
One Twitter user complained that Uber was making a ‘huge profit’ out of the situation by charging £30 extra for customers. Around 10,000 members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) have walked out for 24 hours in a row over jobs, pensions and conditions.
Scenes across the network this morning show huge queues of commuters in the rain at bus stops as they try to get to work. Strikes are also set to take place on Thursday, meaning services will be suspended once again on all lines except the Overground, DLR and TfL Rail.
People have been urged to work from home if they can, but many have had no choice but to brave the travel disruption. One wrote on social media that they had to take three different buses to complete what would usually be a 15-minute journey for them.
One commuter complained about their £26 fare, adding: "A five-minute journey that usually costs a fiver, Uber is really taking advantage of Tube strikes."
Another added: "Thanks Uber for cancelling my pre0booked trip this morning with one-minute notice so I have to re-book at double the cost. Taking full advantage of the Tube Strike"
A third said "You are a bunch of scammers, I can't believe you're making such a huge profit and business out of a Tube strike, shame on you. Being charged over £30 EXTRA for a trip because of a Tube strike. "
A fourth commuter added "Uber - absolutely disgusting. Booked a cab estimated £15. Waited 15 minutes and the driver cancels when two mins away, go to rebook, price is now £40. Trying to exploit people due to Tube strike"
Transport for London (TfL) says there is a high chance of ‘no service’ on the Tube for both strike days. Industrial action is also likely to severely affect services on Wednesdays and Fridays, particularly in the morning peak.
However, TfL said services should improve after 9am on these days and advised passengers to delay their journeys if they can.
Uber has come under fire in recent months with passengers facing a 20 per cent rise in the cost of their fares because of a court ruling that may ultimately force the ride-hailing app to start charging VAT.
The tech firm previously argued it should not have to pay the tax on fares as it is a software firm connecting customers to drivers, rather than a transport business.
The introduction of a 20 per cent VAT charge in London will likely be pushed on to customers, according to industry insiders.
Login
Register
FAQ
