Black cab drivers protest over 'lack of regulation of minicabs' outside TfL HQLondon's black cab drivers and their families gathered in their masses outside Transport for London's headquarters today to protest over the "lack of proper regulation" of private minicab companies.
Hundreds of men, women, children and even dogs, wore Save Taxi t-shirts and held banners and placards outside Windsor House, Victoria Street, from 2pm this afternoon.
It is the latest in a number of demonstrations held by cab drivers calling for TfL to impose tougher restrictions on minicab firms.
Drivers have repeatedly complained they are losing earnings as a result of private hire cars and apps such as Uber, which they allege are not being subjected to the same licensing rules as black cabs.
Protesters today staged a demonstration in support of London's taxi drivers as they claim TfL is not supporting them against 'unfair competition' and there 'unbalanced regulation' between black cabs and private hire vehicles.
On a Facebook group titled 'Save our Black Cabs', protesters and London cabbies say they want to raise awareness over their 'inadequacy'.
Protesters have also set up a hashtag of Twitter, #SaveTaxi, to showcase the level of support for London's black taxis, whose drivers say they are losing money due to the lack of regulation.
Garrett Emmerson, TfL’s chief operating officer of surface transport, said: "As the regulator of London’s taxi and private hire trades, we apply legislation fairly and equally.
"We have not treated, and do not treat, Uber any differently to any other London operator and we are satisfied that Uber currently complies with private hire licensing requirements.”
Today's protest follows on from a similar event in May, during which about 1,000 black cab drivers blockaded the streets around the TfL headquarters.
source:
http://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/b ... 30984.html
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