Taxi Driver Online

O'Connell St closed as taxi drivers protest

Two men involved in a sit-in protest at the office of the Commission for Taxi Regulation in Dublin have been served with High Court orders compelling them to leave.

The men have been protesting since 3pm yesterday afternoon over concerns about regulation of the taxi industry.

A spokesperson for the Irish Taxi Council, which the men are members of, said the organisation's solicitors are currently examining the orders deciding what to do.

AdvertisementGardaí say traffic is severely restricted in Dublin city centre as a result of the action, which saw drivers around the country disrupt services in solidarity with the two men.

O'Connell Street is closed in both directions due to the protest, with northbound traffic being diverted onto Eden Quay.

Only buses can travel over O'Connell Bridge southbound, all other traffic must continue onto Eden Quay.

AA Roadwatch says that southbound traffic from Parnell Square is being diverted via Marlborough Street and Gardiner Street.

Luas Red Line services are only running between Tallaght and Smithfield due to the protests.


Taxi services remain disrupted at Dublin and Cork airports after over 400 taxis stopped work there at 8am this morning.

The DAA is advising passengers arriving on flights into Dublin to make alternative travel arrangements because of the protest.

Departing passengers are not affected as taxis are continuing to drop-off at the airport. Taxi services at Galway and Shannon are operating normally.

The President of the Irish Taxi Council earlier warned that drivers involved in an impromptu dispute could escalate their action, if their demands to meet the Minister for Transport are not met.

Frank Byrne said that the sit-in by the two taxi drivers would continue until a meeting with Noel Dempsey was secured.

He said drivers were calling for the implementation of reforms to the industry, which were drawn up by the Oireachtas Joint Transport Committee.

He claimed that taxi drivers are also protesting in Kerry, Galway, Waterford, Sligo, Donegal and Meath, and warned that the action could escalate further.

However, a spokesman for the Minister for Transport said the protest is doing nothing to address the challenges the industry is facing.

The spokesman said: 'Those involved in the actions yesterday and which are continuing today are strongly urged to resume discussions with the Commission for Taxi Regulation in a sustained effort to address the issues of concern.'

Taxi drivers gathered in Limerick's Pery Square this afternoon as part of the protest.

Around 100 drivers responded to a call to show solidarity with drivers in Dublin. Services were disrupted for a short time this afternoon, but have since resumed.

source: http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/0309/taxi.html

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QF7zj_sRpYg

I do not think de-restriction has worked in Dublin, surely this is what would happen in other big cities if they de- restrict.

You mean like Cardiff and Liverpool?

ffs......some people dont seem to understand this deregulation wont work even if it batters them full in the face with a cricket back sponsored by deregulating taxis doesnt work dot com.

CC

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

As well as a few others ie Edinburgh,Glasgow

I think you'll find that the de-restriction is not just in Dublin; it's country-wide throughout the RoI.

If my memory serves me correctly, all taxis over there (what we call hackneys over here) are licensed for the whole country, whilst the driver is licensed for an area only.

And if they haven't changed their system since the new taxi laws & regulation came in around 2005/6, what we would call private hire in the UK, they call hackneys in the RoI.

Does anyone know if that is still the case?

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Kind regards,

Brummie Cabbie.

Type a message, post your news,
Disagree with other members' views;
But please, do have some decorum,
When debating on the TDO Forum.

We're working for below the minimum wage - taxi drivers


TAXI drivers in Letterkenny staged a protest drive through the town on Tuesday to highlight their ongoing dispute with the Taxi Regulator.

Their action formed part of a countrywide protest staged because members of the Irish Taxi Council maintain they are currently earning less than the minimum wage.

Around 20 taxis assembled at the Mountain Top and slowly, with horns blaring, made their way to Lower Main Street.

Local spokesperson Hugh McFadden, who had informed gardai of their protest, said there was "little solidarity" for taxi drivers in Letterkenny.

Members of the ITC brought services at Dublin, Cork and Shannon Airports to a standstill as part of their action.

"Two of our members are protesting in the offices of the Commissioner for Taxi Regulation and have not eaten or drank for 18 hours. We are objecting to the nine year rule on taxis which means licensed taxi vehicles cannot be older than nine years.

"We are currently earning around ¤5 an hour, a lot less than the minimum wage and there are proposals to increase the license fee. There are too many taxis licensed here in Letterkenny and nationally and that is not counting hackney drivers or taxis which come in from Northern Ireland. Then there are the illegal taxi operators," Mr McFadden said.

Local taxi drivers are to meet members of the town council to discuss issues including taxi parking and the number of licenses issued locally.

"On a Saturday night you might find up to 120 taxis operating in Letterkenny and that's not including hackney cabs. In total there might be up to 160 vehicles working," he added.

Mr McFadden pointed out that there were only 27 legal parking spaces for taxis in all of Letterkenny.

The President of the Irish Taxi Council warned that Tuesday's nation-wide protests could escalate if their demands to meet the Minister for Transport are not met.

Frank Byrne said the sit-in would continue at the Office of the Commission for Taxi Regulation until a meeting with Noel Dempsey was secured.

He said drivers were calling for the implementation of reforms to the industry, which were drawn up by the Oireachtas Joint Transport Committee.

However, a spokesman for the Minister for Transport has said the protest is doing nothing to address the challenges the industry is facing.

According to the Commission for Taxi Regulation there are 579 vehicle licenses registered with them for Donegal. Of these 324 are hackneys, 20 are limousines, 209 are taxis and 26 are wheelchair-enabled vehicles.

http://www.nwipp-newspapers.com/dn/free ... 100883.php

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

I was talking to one of the HC's that works our system and he complained that he had earned £18 in 4 hours, having spent the first hour on the rank before he got a job off the system. Up until 20:00 hrs there had been 2300 jobs through the system from midnight being shared on average by 96 drivers, this is not good but I think it is something that is going on throughout the country

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Note to self: Just because it pops into my head does NOT mean it should come out of my mouth!!

Was out yesterday morning.....first hour I took £0.00.

This morning....first hour £6.90

Things are looking up.....thats a 690% improvement in one day!

CC

_________________
Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WlBiLNN1NhQ

_________________
Note to self: Just because it pops into my head does NOT mean it should come out of my mouth!!

Very good toots i am off to sit on rank whistling http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WlBiLNN1NhQ

I would beg to differ CC, if you took £0.01 on day 1, then you have a 690% improvement on day 2. One hundred percent of nothing is nothing!
I know you won't believe it, but I hate being pedantic.

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Chris The Fish

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gdlyi5mc ... re=related

I knew I should have checked under the back seat

CC

_________________
Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

Oops I did of course mean £1.00 not £0.01 - can I put it down to a typing error?
No, being a pedant, I must own up to my mathematical cockup!

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Chris The Fish

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gdlyi5mc ... re=related

Other Councils won't listen to drivers who work in a deregulated area.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r5eWxrDD4Vs
Good on them