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Bank Junction before it was closed to traffic other than buses and cyclists (licensed CC BY 2.0 by Ronnie Macdonald)Taxi drivers cause "severe delays" in London with more Bank protests
London’s black cab drivers again brought traffic to a standstill protesting plans to ban all traffic apart from bikes and buses from Bank junction. Monday’s demonstration, which followed a similar protest last week, caused ‘severe delays’ according to Transport for London with buses serving some areas delayed by up to 40 minutes. Further protests have taken place yesterday and today.
The Bank junction ban will apply between 7am and 7pm for an 18-month trial period from April. There were more than 100 collisions at the junction in the period 2010-14 and it was also there that the cyclist Ying Tao was killed in 2015.
City Police said that Monday’s protest, organised by the United Cabbies Group, was permitted for a maximum 30 minutes from 3pm. However, Time Out reports that it was only broken up after 5pm.
Trevor Meralls, general secretary of the organisation, told the London Evening Standard: “Cabs are the lifeblood of the City of London and have been for hundreds of years. Restricting access to Bank Junction for taxis is an ill-conceived response to the issue of safety and will make the area significantly less accessible to thousands.”
Cycling campaigners disagree.
Speaking after the first protest, Ashok Sinha, CEO of the London Cycling Campaign, said: “This is not about cars versus bicycles, or pedestrians versus taxis. It’s about stopping more terrible fatalities, celebrating the City’s iconic buildings and spaces, and making the area a hugely more attractive place to work, do business and visit. That’s good for everyone – including those taxi drivers misguidedly protesting today, whose journey times through the area are actually set to improve when these plans go ahead.”
Today’s action saw dozens of taxis descend on Millbank, while a rolling protest also passed through the City yesterday.
Something's happening again in Parliament Sq... pic.twitter.com/6umEqlojEc
— Parker (@ParkerCabbie) January 18, 2017
Alex has written for more cricket publications than the rest of the road.cc team combined. Despite the apparent evidence of this picture, he doesn't especially like cake.
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15 comments
<p>I don't get in this modern age of SatNav and Uber and so many other ways of getting about black London Cabbies consider themselves to be some protected species. Oh I spent 18 months learning "the knowledge" Well I can find anywhere with a satnav or google maps so shove it you outdated dinosaurs. Times change and black cabs are not as essential as they think they are. Driverless taxis are just around the corner. Where will you all be then?</p>
Indeed. I don't think anyone has ever had the thought "Hmmm, I'm bored of being a brain surgeon, I think I'll become a taxi driver instead...".
FTFY.
Out of interest, who are the "United Cabbies Group"? Are they like the militant wing of the LTDA?
Splitters!!
I was there yesterday, police were letting cyclists through. It was very nice without moving traffic, they should make this a regular thing, just don't forget to turn off the engines!
"Taxis are the lifeblood of London and have been for hundreds of years " - Erm, when does he think that the motor car was invented? The modern taxi cab has very little in common with a horse drawn hansom cab.
They bring traffic to a fucking standstill round there every day between 9 and 5 anyway. Not much point protesting when you're not having any noticeable effect.
Why are they upset? They are paid by the mile so any diversion will earn them more money. Always makes me laugh when they complain about cycle lanes leading to congestion. Congestion in London is half their income! But seriously, what are they so upset?
seriously? have you tried calling in to voice some intolerant opinionated views on LBC recently?!!!
Restricting access to Bank Junction for taxis is an ill-conceived response to the issue of safety and will make the area significantly less accessible to thousands
Ever heard of a bus.
This isn't America, and if he has written about cricket, Alex Bowden can't be American. Given that, why are we told that cab drivers are 'protesting plans'? In Britain, we protest against things.
Lifeblood? Andrew Gilligan would surely beg to disagree. In a blog entry published today the stats he cites show that taxis make up 20% of all traffic and private hire vehicles another 12%.
He also says "taxis and PHVs are even more inefficient users of roadspace than cars. A car, at least, is always taking somebody somewhere. Taxis and PHVs are often coming back empty from dropping someone off. Taxis are often cruising around empty looking for passengers."
I bet they make up a LOT more than 32% of the toxic pollution!
https://andrewgilliganblog.wordpress.com/2017/01/18/superhighways-conges...
And if those drivers have all that time spare to burn fuel creating blockades it suggests that they can't be very busy.
"Cabs are the lifeblood of the City Of London"... thrombotically clotting it's arteries. It seems wise then to proceed with the plan to remove the clots.
again spewing their filth all over town... and diesel fumes too!