Portsmouth Uber drivers stage coordinated ‘MORNING OFF’ in protest of fare review delay

In a display of growing discontent, over 170 Uber drivers in Portsmouth and surrounding areas withdrew their services on Wednesday as part of a coordinated protest against the lack of a much-needed fare review.

The drivers claim that the absence of any price adjustment in five years, coupled with decreasing fares, is no longer tolerable or justifiable.

The actions were reportedly prompted by a broken pledge made six months ago to address the fare review issue during a meeting between Uber representatives and drivers at the Ageas Bowl in Southampton. However, according to driver representatives, no tangible progress has been made since then, leaving drivers frustrated and without a direct line of communication with Uber management to address their concerns.

Taking matters into their own hands, the drivers have resorted to organised downtime in an attempt to capture Uber's attention through financial losses. This marks the second such protest, with drivers warning that future actions will occur on a regular basis and potentially involve even more participants.

Peter Sutherland, a representative for Portsmouth Uber drivers, expressed disappointment with the way Uber management has handled the situation. He highlighted the excessively low fares and emphasised that even local competitors have had three price increases in the last 15 months.

Sutherland argued that Uber's approach to constantly decreasing fares has created an unfair and unsustainable market.

As dissatisfaction grows among drivers, the number of participants in these protests is expected to rise. It is anticipated that over 250 drivers will join the next coordinated downtime. According to sources the next action could potentially occur on a Saturday night when demand is traditionally high.

An Uber spokesperson said: “We are committed to making Uber the best platform for all earners and will continue to engage with drivers in Portsmouth and around the country. We have increased prices in the city on three separate occasions since 2018 and regularly review pricing in Portsmouth as we do across the UK.”