Skip to main content

Uber ‘surge pricing’ sees fares treble in London during subway strike

Uber’s surge pricing policy hit the headlines again this week when fares in London trebled during a 24-hour strike by subway drivers that left millions looking for alternative ways to get to and from work.

Fare prices with Uber’s app-based ride-hailing service rise with demand, and so with all of the U.K. capital’s tube lines closed, fares during the morning and evening rush hours shot up.

Recommended Videos

While critics claimed the higher “surge fares” exploited the travel misery of Londoners, Uber insists the system actually benefits customers as it encourages more of its drivers to hit the road and offer rides. Of course, it also benefits Uber, which takes a 20 percent cut of each fare.surge pricing - uber

The U.K.’s Licensed Taxi Drivers Association, which represents nearly half of those who drive the city’s iconic black cabs – many of whom have joined protests against Uber – told the Guardian this week that if the ride-hailing service “achieves its goal of market domination by forcing their competitors out of the market….today’s prices and experiences will become the norm.”

The transport strike, called in connection with a planned all-night tube service, is exactly the kind of event that sends Uber prices skyward.

In a message posted just before the industrial action kicked off on Wednesday, the company encouraged its customers to share an Uber ride with other passengers in order to reduce the fare and free up other cars during the busy period.

Surge pricing

Explaining surge pricing on its website, Uber says it aims to be as reliable as possible in connecting riders with drivers.

“At times of high demand, the number of drivers we can connect you with becomes limited,” the San Francisco-based company says. “As a result, prices increase to encourage more drivers to become available.”

It should be noted that Uber always informs customers of the estimated fare before they request a ride.

When surge pricing is in effect, the rider has to tap a button that says, “I accept the higher fare,” ensuring there’s no confusion about the deal. And if the rate is more than double the usual fare, as it was in London this week, the rider has to type the estimated fare into a text box to show they fully understand what they’re expected to pay.

Trevor Mogg
Contributing Editor
Not so many moons ago, Trevor moved from one tea-loving island nation that drives on the left (Britain) to another (Japan)…
3 big iOS 19 changes that I hope Apple reveals at WWDC 2025
iOS 19 sample logo.

We’re less than two days away from Apple’s big WWDC 2025 keynote, where the company will reveal new versions of each of its software platforms. One of the biggest changes this year is the expected shift from iOS 19 to iOS 26, with new versions of macOS, iPadOS, tvOS, watchOS, and visionOS also set to follow suit. We're also expecting to see the evolution of Apple Health, including a new AI doctor and Health subscription.

iOS 26, if it is to be named that, is expected to introduce one of the biggest evolutions in design for Apple software since the first iPhone was launched. Inspired by visionOS and the Apple Vision Pro, it’s expected to be a monumental redesign, but I hope that Apple also takes the time to make a few improvements.

Read more
The OnePlus Pad 3 is one of the best tablets I’ve used, here’s why
The back of the OnePlus Pad 3.

Android smartphones have long competed with, and in some cases, surpassed, the iPhone, but the same can’t be said for tablets. Android makers have long harbored ambitions to compete with the iPad in the category that Apple created, dating back to the launch of the first Galaxy Tab, which occurred 15 years ago.

Yet, the iPad remains the best tablet for most people. The iPad Pro M4 ushered in the tandem OLED era as Apple stacked two OLED displays for an incredibly immersive experience. The Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra was the first to compete and offers the same great experience you can find on Galaxy phones, but with a few compromises.

Read more
How to watch today’s WWDC keynote, and 3 reasons to do so
You can livestream the WWDC 2025 keynote for free
Apple WWDC 2025 logo

Apple’s WWDC 2025 (Worldwide Developer’s Conference) starts today. In case you didn't already know, WWDC is an annual event used by the tech giant to showcase new software and technologies across its product ecosystem, while also providing developers with sessions and tools to help them build apps for Apple's devices.

How to watch the WWDC 2025 keynote

Read more