UBER and Cabify cars blocked Madrid's main business boulevard today in a counter-protest against taxi drivers trying to get them off the streets.
Around 40 black vehicles staged a slow march along the Paseo de la Castellana as far as the Plaza de Cuzco carrying banners reading: “There's enough work for everyone – monopolies out.”
Taxi drivers have been protesting in major cities, including Barcelona and Madrid, and holding strikes leaving airports in chaos as they resent the competition provided by car-pooling and chauffeur-driven hire car networks.
Both cities had agreed to allow just one Uber or Cabify licence per 32 taxi permits, but taxi drivers say they are not sticking to it.
Isolated incidents of Cabify cars being smashed up and torched have hit the headlines, although the majority of taxi drivers condemned this sort of violent behaviour.
Uber and Cabify drivers finished their protest this morning (Thursday) outside the ministry of public works at 11.00, waving placards which read: “No more blackmail – we just want to work,” and “We don't smash cars – we're polite.”
Eduardo Martín, head of the car-pooling workers' association Unauto VTC, says his members want 'dialogue' in order to 'reach a consensus', rather than regulations being slapped on them without consultation.
“There's room for all of us in the future of public transport,” Martín argues.
