Londoners Reveal Their Thoughts On The Uber Ban

Londoners have thrown their weight behind banned taxi firm Uber and hailed the company’s service as quicker, cheaper, cleaner – and more reliable than black cabs.

A poll carried out among 1,000 Londoners found many were shocked and dismayed at the ruling which came after Transport for London found Uber not to be ‘a fit and proper’ private hire business.

Of those who took part 76 per cent said they preferred Uber to black London cabs, and more than half (58 per cent) said the ruling had robbed Londoners of a viable alternative means of transport.

When asked why they used Uber rather than the traditional Hackney cabs, 77 per cent said they were cheaper, 64 per cent said they were quicker and one in three praised their cleanliness.

Around one in four (23 per cent) said the drivers were ‘more pleasant’ while 26 per cent felt safer in an Uber car.

‘Friendly’ (76 per cent) and ‘helpful’ (61 per cent) were also terms used to describe Uber drivers.

It also emerged while private mini cabs have long been seen as a risky option, that is not the case for Uber.

Fifty two per cent said they trusted Uber as a brand and 87 per cent trusted Uber drivers.

Overall 53 per cent said their perception of Uber was positive or very positive.

Louise Harper-King of OnePoll.com, which carried out the study, said: ‘’Despite the criticism of Uber in some quarters, the results show Londoners want to see Uber’s licence renewed.

“Respondents appear to be very reliant on Uber and this seems to be because it’s cheaper and more convenient when compared to traditional taxi services.

“The research suggests that Londoners generally hold a positive view of Uber and have had an enjoyable experience when using them.”

The study also found the average Londoner uses Uber eight times a month, shelling out around £50 in fares.

The issue of thousands of drivers having to find new jobs doesn’t sit well with Londoners either.

64 per cent said they were saddened over the redundancies while 11 per cent went as far as to declare they were angry.