Taxi protest causes gridlock in WestminsterA protest by black cab drivers has again caused gridlock in London as cabbies take to the streets in their long-running battle with Transport for London over the way private hire vehicles, including Uber, are regulated.
The United Cabbies Group (UCG) has been holding weekly protests that have so far caused traffic chaos at Bank junction and Fleet Street, but today’s action is focussed on TfL’s headquarters at Windsor House on Victoria Street.
It comes as the High Court considers whether or not the Uber app functions as a Taximeter and breaks TfL regulations that say only licensed taxis can use them. Uber cars are licensed as Private Hire Vehicles (PHV), also known as minicabs.
Today Mayor of London Boris Johnson, who clashed with cabbies at Mayor’s Question Time, said in his Telegraph column: “At present that law is being systematically broken – or at least circumvented – by the use of the Uber app.”
The Metropolitan Police have closed roads and imposed conditions on the protest, with Commander BJ Harrington, Gold for the policing of the event said, “When an organiser of an event comes to us, we need to balance their rights with the impact their event will have on the local community.
“Victoria Street and the surrounding area is a busy traffic route and we believe if the proposed procession went ahead without conditions it would result in serious disruption.”
The black cabbies have found some unlikely allies today. Television pundit and former journalist Piers Morgan tweeted his support: “London’s black cab drivers are the most knowledgeable, safest and funniest in the world. They have my full support over this Uber dispute.”
source:
http://www.london24.com/news/transport/ ... _1_4259516
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