Uber gives free rides to disabled and elderly voters in UK cities so they can get to polling stations and cast their vote in Thursday’s general election
- It’s offering free trips worth up to £10 in a link-up with charities in seven cities
- Covers London, Manchester, Birmingham, Newcastle, Leeds, Liverpool, Brighton
- It includes wheelchair accessible cabs and Uber Assist for less mobile people
Disabled and elderly voters are being offered free taxi rides to polling stations so they can cast their vote in Thursday’s historic Brexit election, it was revealed today.
Uber is offering free trips worth up to £10 in a link-up with leading charities in seven cities across the country in a repeat of a scheme it ran in 2017.
It includes wheelchair accessible Uber Access cabs and Uber Assist for less mobile people who don’t use a wheelchair.
It comes at a time when the firm is locked in a battle over its licence in London with mayor Sadiq Khan.
The scheme covers return journeys between 7am and 10pm on Thursday in London, Manchester, Birmingham, Newcastle, Leeds, Liverpool and Brighton.
It involved charities in each of the cities, including Whizz-Kidz, Transport for All and Scope, who will provide applicants with a special code to access the free journey.
Current users of Uber Access and Assist will also be sent the codes. It builds on ‘Uber drives the vote’ which runs in the United States.
The deal includes wheelchair accessible cabs and Uber Assist for less mobile people who don’t use a wheelchair (Boris Johnson pictured at JCB headquarters in Staffordshire today)
The scheme covers return journeys between 7am and 10pm on Thursday in London (pictured), Manchester, Birmingham, Newcastle, Leeds, Liverpool and Brighton.
Jamie Heywood, Uber’s regional general manager in northern and eastern Europe, said: ‘We believe that everyone should be able to have their say, so we’re delighted to be working with organisations like Scope, Whizz-Kidz and Transport for All to offer free trips to and from the polls this Thursday.’
Mark Baker, co-chief executive of Age UK Bristol, added: ‘The ”Uber to the polls” campaign will help ensure that everyone has the opportunity to place their vote on December 12, even if they have mobility issues.’
Uber is believed to have strong links with senior former Tories. In 2015 Boris Johnson, then the mayor of London, called the firm ‘bumptious’ for minor rule infractions and announced regulation plans.
But George Osborne and David Cameron, then chancellor and prime minister, are among those who urged him to reconsider.
Mr Osborne, now the editor of the London Evening Standard, is also employed by investment firm Black Rock, which has a major stake in Uber.
On November 25 this year Transport for London (TfL) revoked the cab-hailing app’s right to work in London after finding that at least 14,000 trips were made with drivers who were different to the ones shown on the app.
A change in the company’s systems allowed unauthorised drivers to upload their photographs to legitimate Uber driver accounts, the transport body said. At least one driver picking up fares had previously had their licence revoked.
The company now has 21 days to mount an appeal and can continue to operate during that time. It will have to convince a court it is ‘fit and proper’ by the time of the appeal.
The move prompted fury among Uber’s customers who slammed Mr Khan, saying they couldn’t afford black cabs and should be allowed to make their own decisions about how they travel.
Meanwhile those driving themselves to the polling station are also being offered help.
Parking app JustPark is offering a 30-minute free stop via its website in spaces near polling stations on Thursday, in expectation of bad weather.
Former home secretary Alan Johnson said: ‘This will be the first December election for 96 years and for the elderly and infirm in particular, there will be real worries about the cold and dark conditions.
‘Being able to park, free of charge, close to the polling station will make a significant contribution to voter turnout.’