Uber drivers have been accused of secretly logging out of the app to make prices soar and allow them to charge customers more money, new research suggests.

Researchers interviewed Uber drivers in London and New York and produced a study which claims staff are deliberately making the price more expensive.

It was suggested that drivers working in the same area are logging out of the mobile taxi app which will make the number of available cars drop.

This, as a result, causes a higher demand because there are less cars available and therefore a 'surge' price is introduced with fares increasing.

New research suggests that some Uber workers are working together to try and drive the prices up

On some occasions, the price of a journey can cost several times the normal fare when there is a surge.

The study, which was seen by the Times newspaper, looked at more than 1,000 posts on the online forum Uberpeople.net.

One London driver posted on the site: 'Guys, stay logged off until surge.'

Another worker asked why and the Londoner replied: 'Less supply high demand = surge.'

It was suggested that drivers working in the same area are logging out of the mobile taxi app (pictured)

Dr Mareike Möhlmann, from the Warwick Business School in Coventry, was quoted in the newspaper as saying: 'Drivers have developed practices to regain control, even gaming the system.

'It shows that the algorithmic management that Uber uses may not only be ethically questionable but may also hurt the company itself.'

An Uber spokesperson told MailOnline: 'This behaviour is neither widespread nor permissible on the Uber app, and we have a number of technical safeguards in place to prevent it from happening.'