Uber announces major shake up to the way customers can pay for rides
Uber has announced a major shake up by allowing customers to pay for their rides by cash.
The app-based firm said it wanted to make transport more accessible for its passengers as it announced an 18-month trial in several cities would be extended across Britain, apart from in London.
Uber's pilot scheme in Birmingham, Leicester, Nottingham and Stoke found that some customers had preferred to use cash when it came to paying for their rides.
The cash option will now show on the app, but drivers can opt out of accepting notes and coins if they can't provide change or if they fear for their safety by carrying money.
If drivers are unable to provide any change then Uber will credit the customer's account on the app.
The option of paying by cash is still under review by local authorities in the capital and can't be used for Uber Eats or any other form of transport on the app.
The move has been heralded by campaigners as Uber now 'believing in the future of cash in the UK' and comes on the back of the Treasury Committee finding that a growing number of retailers and services are rejecting cash payments.
The cross-party committee warned the country could become a 'two-tier society' unless the problem was tackled where vulnerable groups become excluded from community spaces.
A spokesman for Uber said: 'We believe that movement should be accessible to everyone, so following successful pilots in some UK cities over the last 18 months, we have decided to give passengers outside of London the option to pay for trips with cash.'
Ron Delnevo, chair of the Payment Choice Alliance, told the BBC that Uber's decision 'demonstrates that they now believe in the future of cash in the UK' and called on government to go one step by further by making it a law for shops and services to accept cash.
The Treasury Select Committee last week urged the public to hoard cash for cyberattacks and blackouts.
The Treasury Select Committee mooted the drastic advice as it warned over the growing shift away from coins and banknotes.
The MPs said businesses might have to be forced to accept hard currency to stop the UK sleepwalking to becoming a cashless society.
One in two shoppers have recently been somewhere that did not accept, or discouraged the use of, cash, according to research from ATM network Link published last year.
Around a fifth experienced this in a cafe, restaurant or when paying for parking, and one in ten on public transport or in a pub.
Charities also told the Committee that local government funded services, such as leisure centres, are increasingly cashless.
Vulnerable groups who rely on cash, including elderly people, those with learning disabilities and domestic abuse victims, told the Committee that they are forced to pay more for essential goods and services because the number of places where they can spend cash is reduced.
The Committee suggested the Government could recommend that households hold cash in case of a national emergency.
'In discharging its responsibility for national security and resilience, HM Treasury must consider the value of physical cash in emergency preparedness,' the report said.
'This may include recommending that cash is held by individuals in case of emergency, and considering what role cash distribution might play in a severe payment systems outage.'
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A bit like a sort of unreliable boyfriend. This, rather brilliantly, was the description of the record of the governor of the Bank of England, Mark Carney, by the Labour MP Pat McFadden, then a member of the Treasury select committee. That was in 2014, when the handsome Canadian, hailed as the 'George Clooney of central banking', was just a year into his tenure. McFadden was not talking about Carney's personal life: it was a metaphor for his policy of interest rate 'forward guidance', which was proving no sort of guidance at all. It was all over the place. In one respect, however, there was complete consistency in Carney's record over seven years as this country's most powerful unelected figure. 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NBC News
a day ago
- NBC News
What to expect when (or if) Elon Musk launches a Tesla robotaxi service
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Time Out Dubai
3 days ago
- Time Out Dubai
Emirates announces new daily flight to popular European destination
We might just be stepping into summer, but if you're already planning your holidays for the rest of the year, then there's a new flight you need to know about. Emirates has just announced it will be adding a new daily service to the Spanish city of Barcelona to keep up with demand. If you like this: Taking Uber rides can now get you cheaper Emirates flights Starting from Sunday October 26, the coastal city will then have a total of 21 weekly Emirates flights per week from Dubai. Known for it's incredible architecture, tasty tapas and impressive beachfront, the new flight will be the third daily service to Barcelona. Departing for Barcelona from Dubai International Airport (DXB), the three flights will leave at 3.45am, 8.15am and 2pm respectively. (Credit: Canva) Returning to Dubai, the flights will take off from El Prat Airport (BCN) at 3.10pm, 3.30pm and 8.25pm. Tickets can be booked on the Emirates App, or via both online and offline travel agents as well as at Emirates retail stores. Earlier this week, the airline also revealed it has partnered up with another huge travel company to make your life even easier. Launched this week, the team up between Emirates and Uber means more rewards for frequent riders and flyers. When you book an Uber ride, you'll soon be able to earn Skywards miles in select markets across Emirates' global network. And with the Skywards programme, you can get cheaper flight tickets with both Emirates and flydubai (plus a bunch of other amazing perks in Dubai). You'll also be able to get vouchers for Uber rides when booking flights with Emirates, which will allow your plane ticket to take you further and offer a smoother connection from the airport. In other Dubai news Teddy Swims is coming to Dubai for the first time ever And this is how you can get tickets This is exactly how long summer will last in Dubai this year Feeling the heat? How to eat out in Dubai for just Dhs10 this summer Bargain alert
