Uber has announced this morning (11 November) that it will raise its fares in Greater London by 10 per cent, and the price of London airport transfers during peak times by 25 per cent, in an attempt to curb a lack of available drivers. “We’re making these changes to help provide a better rider experience, by signing up more drivers to meet the growing demand”, a spokesperson told the New Statesman. In recent weeks, members of the public have said they worry about getting home from nights out, as taxis become increasingly unavailable – and when a ride can be found, it’s often much more expensive than before. The tech companies say there’s a lack of drivers – is this the whole story?
Nader Awaad, Uber driver and chair of the United Private Hire Drivers’ branch of the Independent Workers’ Union of Great Britain, has an acceptance rate of 18 per cent, meaning he takes on fewer than one in five of the jobs he’s offered through the platform. The others are all unsustainable at the rate-per-mile Uber now offers, which the union says has dropped by around 20 per cent since the Supreme Court ruled in February that Uber drivers were to be considered “workers” with rights to a minimum wage and paid leave.
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