SMARTPHONE taxi firm Uber is launching its service in St Helens today (Thursday, May 5).

The firm, which has provoked unrest among traditional firms when locating in other areas, officially begins its operations in the borough, with users able to order private hire cabs using an application on their phones.

Uber - which already has a presence on Merseyside in Knowsley, Sefton and Wirral - was granted a licence by St Helens Council in January to operate in the borough and has opened up offices at the Bold Business Centre in Sutton.

Neil McGonigle, general manager of Uber in Merseyside, said: "We're really excited to be officially announcing our launch in St Helens. We've been embraced in Merseyside since our launch last August, so coming to St Helens was a natural move. We have a number of partner drivers operating in St Helens but are still seeking more drivers in the area."

He said a typical journey from Lea Green to Church Square shopping centre could cost around £4.75, while a journey from Eccleston Park to the bars of Westfield Street could cost around £4.35.

He added: "Uber can only be used via a smartphone and it's completely cashless. People create an account on the app. The passenger doesn't have to go to the cashpoint - and the driver doesn't have to worry that passengers will do a runner without paying.

"It's safe: users can track the car that is set to pick them up, they will see a photo of the driver, know the car's model and registration and be given a price estimate in advance. There's no danger of getting into the wrong car by accident.

"On a map, they will be able to see the car arrive and so there's no waiting in the rain, looking out for a car."

The company has been criticised in the past for "surge pricing" - increasing fares during busy spells.

When questioned about this, Mr McGonigle said: "We do operate 'dynamic pricing' based on real-time surges - but we don't increase our fares just because it's a Friday or Saturday night.

"The pricing will start to increase the more calls we receive. It's all about managing supply and demand."

Mr McGonigle said customers can rate drivers and make complaints using the app and he also appealed for drivers to join the firm.

He said: "We are flexible and invite applications from across the board. The work is ideal for stay-at-home mums who want to do some part-time work in the evenings or students who want weekend or holiday work."

All drivers who partner with Uber in St Helens are licensed for private hire by St Helens Council, he said, and have passed an enhanced DBS check.

A St Helens Council spokesperson confirmed a licence was granted for Uber on January 5, 2016.

New Uber users who enter the code 'STHELENS15' into the promotions tab of the app will get up to £15 off their first trip.