uberPOOL users in London will now need to walk some distance to catch their rides

London’s one-way systems have literally hindered quick pick ups. But Uber’s latest feature, smart pickup point is all set to solve this problem – cutting down on detours to save commuters time.

This is essentially a rewiring of how fares work in London. In order to tackle the network of one-way streets that line the capital, UberPool now features more direct routes, instead of having the driver take roundabout ways to get to the pick-up point. According to Uber’s own website, this is a “new and improved” way to save time. Here’s how you do it –

1. Enter your destination and request UberPool.
2. When you request a ride between 6am and 9pm, you will be directed to a smart pickup point to meet your driver.
3. Walk to your smart pickup point: the system is timed such that you and your driver should arrive there at the same time.
4. The app will choose the best drop-off point – you may be dropped off a short walk from your final destination if that helps to avoid detours.

This move stands out from the pre-existing “smart routes”, the previous routes were just a test last year, whereas these will be explicitly smart pickup points. Uber is clearly taking off in the UK, especially after having introduced their electric cars as well as their scheduled rides feature in the capital.

The new uberPOOL means drivers have speedier pick ups and spend less time on detours trying to pick up their next passenger. With uberPOOL there’s also less waiting time between paying trips for drivers.

uberPOOL with this latest development, aims to get more people into fewer cars. The more people share their Uber journey and leave their own cars at home, the more mileage and emissions they save. The firm claims uberPOOL has been chosen more than 2 million times in London and shared journeys have saved more than 1.3 million miles being driven and 231 metric tonnes of CO2.

So while you can majorly save on time that might have been spent negotiating the treacherous one-ways and side-streets of London, you might have to huff-and-puff your way to your pick-up and drop-off point. Might that mean it will end up taking the same amount of time? We’ll just have to wait and see!

If you want to give this service a try, now is the time.