As taxi drivers staged a strike across Leeds last night in protest to proposed changes to licensing rules, many angry customers have taken to social media to express their frustration at Uber’s decision to capitalise on the increase in demand.
With so many people wanting to get home safely on Saturday night, be it from a night of revelry or due to Storm Malik’s widespread disruption of public transport, many had turned to Uber after their usual taxis had chosen to strike.
Yet rather than stick to their regular pricing structure, the company implemented surge pricing, a move which saw prices across the city skyrocket and many customers wallets weep.
For the latest travel news click here
In just one of several examples, Twitter user @ChrisTownie highlighted that a simple 7.9 mile journey from Leeds to Morley had cost a whopping £46 - a price best epitomised by the accompanying vomit emojis!
Yet he wasn’t the only one unimpressed by the situation, with twitter user @keer_nigel also sharing his frustration, before admitting he had refused to pay the exorbitant prices and instead opted to make his 3 mile journey home on foot.
In a tweet posted on Sunday morning, he said: “To all the striking taxi drivers in Leeds: Thanks very much! I had to walk three miles home, but hey - I saved around £15! So f* you!”
Other customers out and about in Leeds had also expressed their annoyance at the high prices, with several revealing that they were looking at a £30+ Uber price tag to get a taxi from the city centre to Kirkstall and £20+ to Street Lane.
Yet it wasn’t just the pricing that was a cause for concern for some Leeds residents, it was the timing of the strike itself, a Saturday night at a peak point of demand. It was an issue of safety, particularly for women, as one user, @madirae pointed out.
Can't see this survey? Click here
In a series of tweets posted prior to the strike on Saturday afternoon, she said:
“Usually have so much respect for anyone striking but Leeds taxi & Uber drivers striking from 10pm-6am on a Sat night over licensing rules which prevent dangerous people becoming drivers seems more like a way to force women to walk home alone in a city with no night transport?!”
“Especially weird & scary considering the point of the licensing rules they’re protesting & the fact this has been publicised massively in the news so that predators will know that more people will be in a vulnerable position tonight.”
Enter your postcode for live traffic and travel updates where you are
“Fair enough telling people to make alternative plans before they go on a night out or whatever, but what about people working in clubs who have no option to stay at home tonight & will be leaving after town dies down so it’s even more dangerous?!”
“Surely a solution would have been for the council to organise better night bus services, considering they’ve had warning of this for a while. It’s such an avoidance of duty of care & I really hope nothing bad comes from it, but it’s giving me such an icky feeling.”
Despite the strike however, there was no shortage of taxis in Leeds last night, with a dead lock of the vehicles spotted down Vicar Lane at about 11.20pm.
Did you get caught up in the strike action? Let us know in the comments!
To get the latest email updates from LeedsLive, click here.
