Uber is to provide
wheelchair users in London, Manchester and Birmingham with free rides to vote
in the general election.
The app company
said it would pay for journeys up to £10 to and from polling stations between
7am and 10pm on Thursday (8 June).
The joint
initiative with charity Whizz-Kidz was announced to promote the company's
uberACESSS service, which offers wheelchair-accessible vehicles.
Ruth Owen,
chief executive of Whizz-Kidz, said: "Exercising your right to vote is
such a fundamental milestone in transitioning from childhood to adulthood. For
many young wheelchair users across the UK, this year will mark the first time
ever they've been eligible to vote in a General Election, so it's important
that the barriers that can stand between them and making their voices heard are
removed
.
"We're
delighted, then, that our Travel Alliance partner Uber are making things easier
by providing free UberACCESS rides to polling stations in major cities. We hope
Uber's generous move will inspire many young wheelchair users to get out and
vote on June 8th."
Existing
uberACCESS will be given a promotion code to access the free rides, while new
users will be sent the code by Whizz-Kidz. Riders will then receive two free
journeys worth up to £10 each.
Uber, whose growth
in London has sparked protests from the city's iconic black cab industry,
launched its wheelchair-friendly service following criticism that unlike
London's black cabs, regulations do not require its cars to be wheelchair
accessible.
Jo Bertram,
regional general manager of Uber in the UK, said: "Accessing convenient,
safe and affordable transport can sometimes be a challenge for wheelchair
users. That's why we're proud to offer a fully wheelchair accessible option in
London, Birmingham and Manchester with many more cities to come.
"Everybody
should be able to have their say on election day, so we're delighted to work
with Whizz-Kidz to offer young wheelchair users an easy way to get to the
polls."
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