PROTEST GROUP Taxi Drivers for Change is planning to disrupt Dublin city traffic for up to six hours tomorrow in its latest demonstration against the number of taxis in the capital.
The group claims that up to 3,000 drivers will travel in two separate convoys from the Liffey Valley shopping centre in Clondalkin and the Airside retail park in Swords to the Commission for Taxi Regulation on Fitzwilliam Square, where a meeting of the commission’s advisory council will be taking place.
The convoy is due to start at 8am and finish outside the regulator’s office at 2pm, which could bring traffic from the north and west of the city to a standstill throughout the morning rush hour. The group is asking drivers not taking part in the protest to stop working from 8am to 2pm in a gesture of solidarity.
This will be the group’s seventh protest in recent weeks and is expected to cause the most disruption, according to Jim Waldron, one of the group’s founders. Drivers’ anger had increased following an economic review of the industry carried out by Goodbody Economic Consultants on behalf of the Taxi Regulator. It recommended there should be no moratorium on the issuing of licences, Mr Waldron said.
Taxi driver unions last week met with Minister for Transport Noel Dempsey to discuss the report, but Taxi Drivers for Change, which is not a union, was not invited. The group is also without representation on the advisory council to the regulator. The Irish Taxi Drivers’ Federation, trade union Siptu, the National Private Hire and Taxi Association, the National Chauffeur Driver Association, the National Taxi Drivers’ Union and the Taxi Company Owners’ Association are members of the council which will meet tomorrow.
In a statement yesterday, the commission urged the protesting drivers not to prevent others from working and not to disrupt traffic.
“The commission recognises the right of members of the industry to express their views. It cannot, however, condone any action which causes inconvenience to potential customers or other road-users. It would also expect those taking action to respect the right of drivers who wish to continue to work.”
The Garda is not expecting 3,000 drivers to take part in the protest and estimate the figure is likely to be about 1,000.
