Back

AIRPORT PICKUPS LONDON

Black Cab Drivers Protest On London Bridge
27 - Nov - 2018

Black Cab Drivers Protest on London Bridge

Black cab drivers yesterday blocked London Bridge causing huge traffic jams in the city. The drivers are campaigning for the right to drive on bus lanes 

Monday evening rush hour was a nightmare for most motorists as traffic snarl-ups were experienced in both directions.

The protest was called after plans to make a section of Tooley Street only available to buses and bicycles.

A poster for the protest reads: “Where buses go, we go. Stop the lies, stop the discrimination, stop the injustice to our industry!”

Stranded motorists and commuters took to tweeter to warn others of the strike. Nick L tweeted: “London Bridge tonight - a black cab protest may cause delays to your journey. Or at least some variation to the bus station annnoucements.”

Colin McFarlane tweeted: “To all LONDON followers. Surprise Black cab strike today. Traffic at a stand still on London Bridge. Supposedly on strike today till 7pm!! So I couldn’t get my bus and had to get back on the underground. So avoid London bridge if you are looking to drive or get on a bus.”

Jennette Arnold, a Labour Assembly Member in nearby City Hall tweeted: “#LicensedTaxiProtest creates a blockage on London Bridge until approximately 19.00 today, and every day until Taxi’s are allowed to go where buses go. Never a dull day in London.”

The London Cycling Campaign group supports the closing of a section of Tooley Street. They said closing the street will be “a small change that will improve things for people on foot and bike”.

It said: “Cabs won’t even be banned on Tooley Street: they will just be restricted to one-way in a short section of road near London Bridge station - which was the situation for years during the London Bridge station upgrade and only reopened recently.

“Cabbies have a long history of opposing improvements to London’s streets, and the furious reaction to this modest scheme shows they’re determined to block any and all progress.”

By Airport Pickups London