Saturday 31 December 2016 3:40 pm

How to avoid Uber surge pricing in London on New Year’s Eve 2016: Avoid these peak times or use UberPool

New Year's Eve may be the night we pop open the bubbles and welcome a brand new year with our nearest and dearest, but there's one thing that you can guarantee will be the same as every other year – the demand for taxis.

Thanks to ride-hailing apps, getting home on a busy night is a little easier than it used to be.

But make no mistake, the sometimes-controversial surge pricing of one particular app will return on New Year's Eve. That means because of the high demand, hailing an Uber is likely to cost you more.

However, there is a way to get around the surge-pricing problem – time your travel for the quietest times.

In a blog post last year Uber said the prime time in London for demand is between 12.30am and 3am. So that means either slipping off as soon as the clock strikes 12, or bedding in for the night.

There's also a spike in Uber use between 7pm and 10.30pm as people head to their destinations, so leave either early, or a little late.

The newly introduced UberPool service may also provide a solution. On New Year's Eve, prices will remain 25 per cent cheaper than the standard UberX service, taking into account the increased prices. All you have to do is share your cab with someone heading the same way.

Uber also provided this handy guide to the areas which will be pedestrian-only come December 31, where there will be no taxis at all.