Disgust as Uber hikes prices as daily bus strikes begin

Commuters hit by unprecedented bus strike action were furious about forking out increased Uber fares. As National Express drivers began the first of their daily walk-outs in a row over pay, more people were forced to rely on the multi-billion pound taxi company to reach their destination.

While trains, trams and buses from other operators were running as normal, services were inevitably busier than usual. The spike in demand led to the Uber price hike as the app uses ‘dynamic pricing’, which mean fees automatically increase when demand outstrips the number of cars available.

A Sutton Coldfield homeowner said a trip to Birmingham Broad Street just after 8am today, Monday, March 20, ranged from £28.94 for an UberX to £31.94 for an Uber Pet. He said: “I didn’t understand why it was this high. I get Ubers into the city centre all the time and while the price can vary it’s never been £30 before. Just when you need them, they seem to stick you with a massive bill.”

And a trip from Bilston to Wolverhampton city centre ranged from £12.93 to £17.88. The trip had previously cost £8,20, however a message warned “fares are higher due to increased demand”.

Angry app users took to Twitter to voice their anger about the situation. One tweeted Uber to say: “The fact you increase fares by 4/5 times the normal cost just because there’s a bus strike in the Midlands is actually disgusting.”

Another said: “Gotta love Uber taking advantage of the bus strikes by raising their prices.”

Uber has been contacted for a comment.

Those deciding to drive themselves into Birmingham city centre could face an £8 charge if they own an older, gas-guzzling car. The city council said there were no plans to suspend Birmingham’s controversial Clean Air Zone (CAZ) charges during the strikes.

National Express West Midlands has apologised for the disruption and said it was “seeking to bring a speedy resolution to the strike”. Drivers rejected a 14.3 per cent pay increase, along with increases to Christmas and New Year’s pay and accident pay, which would have “brought an experienced driver salary up to nearly £33,000, and unlocked more than £900 of back pay for a full-time driver”.

However Unite general secretary, Sharon Graham, said its members were “not paid enough for the difficult and stressful job they do”, adding: “The company must come back with an offer our members can accept.”

For the latest updates on the strike action, follow our live blog here.