NOTTINGHAM UBER

About 20 drivers working for a taxi-hailing app have quit over claims the firm went back on incentives introduced when it started up in Nottingham.

Uber arrived in the city in November after it was granted a licence by the local authority in July.

Fifty drivers held a protest outside the firm's city base earlier, claiming it has reneged on a pledge to pay £10 an hour even when there is little work.

Uber said incentives were still in place but it had moved start times.

Waheed Iqbal, an Uber driver since 6 November, tweeted on Monday: "Uber drivers in Nottingham have stopped working as 10 pound guaranteed an hour offer was taken back, and drivers struggling."

He explained work had been slow during the day and in some cases he had to wait two hours for a job.

Another driver, Shoer Kayani, said: "There's no such thing as an incentive at all anymore - it's slavery."


Mr Iqbal said because business was quiet, it was "surprising" Uber took the offer of a guaranteed £10 an hour back.

However, an Uber spokesman said incentives were offered so Uber drivers did not lose out while the company "builds its rider base".

"When the demand is high enough, Uber reduces these as they are no longer necessary," he said.

"In this instance, however, Uber hasn't removed the provision of incentives, it has simply moved the time of day they operate. This is to encourage drivers to log in when demand is at its highest.

"We still have over 100 partners on the platform in Nottingham," he added.

Outside London, Uber has had licences granted in Manchester, Leeds, Birmingham, Newcastle, Sheffield and Bristol.

Source BBC