Uber fares have soared as Londoners face travel chaos amid Underground strike action.

Tens of thousands of London Underground workers walked out from 6.30pm on Wednesday over a dispute with Transport for London regarding the new 24-hour Tube services, which are due to start from September this year,

Across the capital thousands of commuters attempted to get an Uber – but found that they faced as much as 2.9 times the minimum fare.

Uber works on a system of ‘surge pricing’ – meaning that when demand is high prices can climb to dizzying heights.

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The company has insisted in the past that this system ensures that cars arrive even during the busiest periods.

During the Tube strikes last year, Uber reported a four-fold surge in demand for cars in comparison to a normal weekday. Yesterday, the company also sent an email to subscribers of the app encouraging people to share cabs and reduce their fares.