As a siege inside a cafe in Sydney’s Martin Place continues, car service Uber has announced it will offer free rides to passengers leaving the CBD, after it was reported that the company were charging record prices as an incentive to get more drivers online.
“We are all concerned with the events happening in Sydney,” said Uber in a statement. “Uber Sydney will be providing free rides out of the CBD to help Sydneysiders get home safely. Our thoughts are with those affected and the NSW Police Force.”
According to Mashable, earlier today Uber briefly charged its users in downtown Sydney a minimum $100, four times the usual rate, for rides in the area all while a siege is currently underway at Martin Place and the city is in lockdown.
Uber said the price increase was due to “surge pricing” designed as an incentive to get more drivers on the road. Fairfax reports, the cost to use the app is determined by a computer algorithm and rapidly increase when supply is limited.
The company have now begun to offer free rides and say they are “in the process of refunding rides” for those charged during these hours leaving the CBD.
The area in the Sydney city centre near the Martin Place business district, has been evacuated and several buildings placed in lockdown as an undetermined number of people continue to be held hostage inside Sydney’s Lindt cafe. Police have been on the scene since this morning.
Public transport in Sydney has been significantly affected today, with trains and buses all avoiding Martin Place station. Passengers have been advised to delay travel to the Sydney CBD, as a number of train lines have been affected as well as several road closures.
According to Transport NSW, currently affected lines include the T1 North Shore & Northern Line, T1 Northern Line, T1 Western Line, T2 Airport Line, T2 Inner West & South Line, T3 Bankstown Line, T4 Eastern Suburbs & Illawarra Line, T5 Cumberland Line, T6 Carlingford Line, T7 Olympic Park Line as well as some intercity trains.
Fairfax says heavy traffic out of the city is expected as police have shut down the area from George to Macquarie streets and from Park Street to Circular Quay. The Sydney Harbour bridge reportedly remains open however, access from York Street and Harbour Street has been blocked and the the Cahill Expressway was closed in both directions.
“Citybound motorists are urged to continue to avoid the Sydney CBD and the Sydney Harbour Bridge as the police operation continues. Motorists can consider using the Sydney Harbour Tunnel and the Gladesville Bridge as alternative routes,” the Transport Management Centre said in a statement.
As the police operation continues road closures and public transport lines are subject to change. Head to Transport NSW for the latest public transport information and keep up to date with the latest traffic conditions at Live Traffic NSW.
Uber rides out of the CBD today are free for all riders to help Sydneysiders get home safely. See http://t.co/UIwoom25Bm for more info.
— Uber Sydney (@Uber_Sydney) December 15, 2014
Motorists advised 2 avoid CBD due 2 police operation at #MartinPlace. Road closures in place with buses being diverted.
— Live Traffic Sydney (@LiveTrafficSyd) December 15, 2014
Services are operating however trains will not stop at #MartinPlace due to the police operation: http://t.co/SVu2mnU87s
— NSW TrainLink South (@TrainLinkSouth) December 15, 2014
