Uber gives elderly and disabled voters free rides to polling stations

Uber is giving older people and the disabled free lifts to and from their local polling station on election day.

All wheelchair users and others with disabilities will be offered two free rides up to the value of £10 a ride, between the hours of 7am and 10pm on Thursday 12 December.

Uber is one of many businesses helping people get out and cast their vote on Thursday 12 December in partnership with disability charity Scope, Whizz-Kidz and Transport for All.

Jamie Heywood, regional general manager of Uber in Northern and Eastern Europe, said: “We believe that everyone should be able to have their say, so we’re delighted to be working with organisations like Scope, Whizz-Kidz and Transport for All to offer free trips to and from the polls this Thursday.”

The free rides are available Uber Assist and Uber Access,which offers wheelchair-accessible vehicles.

Kirsty Hoyle, chief executive of Transport for All, said: “We are pleased to share this opportunity from Uber with our members, a long-standing idea from their team which intends to offer a free and accessible option for disabled and older people to vote in the upcoming election.

“Too often disabled people are isolated by societal barriers that limit their opportunities to participate in the parts of life that others take for granted and we hope this encourages everyone to get out and vote.”

Top tips for disabled on polling day

The charity Scope has some top tips for people with disabilities, once they have reached the polling station.

• If your local polling station isn’t accessible, staff called presiding officers should provide you with a ballot paper and allow you to vote outside of the polling station.

• Polling stations must provide large print versions of ballot papers.

• Polling stations must provide tactile voting devices. The tactile voting device attaches on top of your ballot paper. It has numbered flaps (the numbers are raised and are in braille) directly over the boxes where you mark your vote.

• If you cannot mark your ballot paper, presiding officers may mark your ballot paper for you. You may also attend the polling station with someone who you would like to mark your ballot paper on your behalf.