Taxi drivers stage mass protest in London
Taxi union wants to “grind London to a halt” as it protests a lack of action from Transport for London (TfL) with regards to dealing with matters affecting taxi drivers
Hundreds of taxi drivers were holding a mass protest in central London this afternoon, with the intention of causing travel disruption in the capital.
General trade union GMB, along with the London Cab Drivers’ Club, said the protest in Aldwych was in response to what it called a lack of action from Transport for London (TfL) about matters affecting taxi drivers.
The issues they cite include no infrastructure for electric cabs, journeys being delayed by increased congestion, high fare costs for passengers and the removal of access to Bank junction.
The news comes in the midst of rising tension in London’s taxi industry, after TfL stripped Uber of its licence to operate in the city in September 2017.
But this blow against the company, which has been a thorn in the side of black cabs, clearly hasn’t been enough to put cabbies’ minds at ease.
Steve Garelick, spokesman for the GMB Professional Drivers’ Branch, said: ‘GMB is concerned about a lack of action by TfL on the real issues facing drivers.
‘TfL continues to live outside its own rules. Enforcement seems to be lopsided throughout the country, and drivers – along with their families – are feeling the pinch.
‘Unless there is real engagement with drivers, protests such as this will become ever more frequent.’
A TfL spokesperson said: ‘The law stipulates that operators can continue until any appeals process is exhausted. We urge the organisers to call the protests off.’
