Passengers using an Uber in the capital will be subject to a new £1.50 ‘Central London Fee’

Image credit: TaxiPoint

As part of the Mayor of London’s plans to reduce congestion in the capital, private hire vehicles will need to pay the Congestion Charge of up to £15 per day.

Ride-sharing giant, Uber, have said they are now introducing a £1.50 surcharge to be added to every trip that starts, ends or passes through the Congestion Charge Zone.

The firm has said that the new ‘Central London Fee’ will be added to a number of its services such as UberX, uberXL, UberExec, UberLux and Uber Assist, and will be active 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to coincide with Congestion Charge times.

Uber has confirmed that UberPool and UberACCESS will not be subject to the additional fee, but have said that the company will make the £1.50 contribution to the driver to compensate.

A spokesperson for Uber said: “By adding the Central London Fee to all trips, you’ll get dependable service when you need it, while drivers will keep the flexibility of choosing where and when to driver, maintain their income, and help to reduce congestion and toxic air in central London.”

The additional fee will be included in a passenger's fare estimate before the start of a trip, and will be visible on their receipt at the end of the journey.

The company added: “Every penny will go directly to drivers, helping them cover some of the costs of the new Congestion Charge.”