Central London is set to come to a halt today as thousands of London taxi drivers are to stage a go-slow protest against de-regulation and the use of taxi apps such as Uber.
Uniting in Unity
Unite the Union, who has organised the protest, said they expect cabbies to turn up in their thousands, blockading the streets around Trafalgar and Parliament Square at 2pm today.
Peter Kavanagh of Unite the Union, said: “From failing to tackle the increasingly hazardous rickshaw brigade to shrugging his shoulders and allowing the Uber app – which doesn’t take bookings or even pay tax in this country – to be licensed as a private hire operator, the mayor has shown his true colours by suggesting that Uber had been allowed to operate in London due to having “friends in high places.”
Kavanagh also noted that Unite the Union members didn’t feel threatened by the competition but they were in fact hoping for a “level playing field” within the economical London taxi marketplace.
TfL’s Response
Managing Director of TfL, Leon Daniels, published a press release in response to the decision made by Unite the Union and its members to protest.
He said: “It is regrettable that a number of taxi drivers – whose job it is to help keep this city moving – plan to cause unnecessary disruption to other road users.
The taxi trade has several forums with TfL and the Mayor. We urge them to communicate directly with us on the specific issues they wish to discuss.
TfL says bus routes will also be affected by the protest, with cyclists being urged to take extra care navigating the swathes of black cabs on the roads. The tube is touted as the best option for getting about town in the afternoon.
Back in June large parts of London were brought to a standstill as London’s black cabs staged a mass protest against taxi app service Uber.
The LTDA argued Uber is not compliant with laws regarding taxi meters. TfL has held the position that Uber’s app does not constitute a taxi meter, which can only be used by black cabs.”