Taxi drivers to stage six-day protest next week

Taxi drivers are escalating their protest action across the country next week.

Taxi Drivers Ireland says nothing has changed since they first raised objections to fixed fares by Uber, and so the industry is going up a gear.

From next Monday until Saturday, the 13th of December, they will engage in a six-day nationwide protest campaign.

They say the Government has chosen silence instead of responsibility over plans to bring in the fixed fares.

Uber said the approach “has been shown to increase rider confidence and trip demand”.

About a third of Ireland’s more than 17,000 taxi drivers make use of Uber to source fares.

The fixed fare option means that Uber users agree on a fare in advance of taking their trip.

Should the meter read less than the agreed fare, the customer pays the lower price.

If the meter is higher, due to adverse traffic or other factors, the passenger pays only the pre-agreed fixed fare.

Dublin Airport will be targeted on Tuesday and Thursday evening - and again on Saturday, followed by a rolling convoy into the city centre.

Only the details for protests in Dublin have been announced - but Taxi Drivers Ireland say they've got the backing of cab drivers in Galway and Cork.

Taxi driver David Mitchell says the Transport Minister need to step in.

"This is our livelihood. This is 18,000 drivers, plus their families.

"Most people are married, two or three kids, our incomes our gone. We will have to just close the door, we won't be able to survive."