Support for taxi protest strongest in Dublin

Less than 100 taxis operated in Dublin yesterday during the planned 24 hour protest over changes to the taxi industry, the National Taxi Drivers' Union (NTDU) has said.

Around 12,000 of the State's 17,000 taxi drivers went off the roads between 5am yesterday and 5am today, in protest over a new fare structure which includes the abolition of luggage charges and a €1.50 hiring charge for picking up passengers from Dublin airport.

The strongest support for the stoppage was in Dublin where some 10,000 drivers withdrew from work. In regional urban centres the numbers were lower. Most of the 800 drivers in Cork city observed the stoppage, but in Limerick only 40 per cent went off the roads and in Galway any withdrawal had no perceptible effect on the service.

The stoppage is likely to be repeated within the next two weeks, the NTDU said, if the Taxi Regulator Gerard Deering does not reverse his decision to abolish the charges as part of a new national fare structure to be introduced in September.

The action was organised by the three main drivers' unions, the Taxi Drivers' Federation, the NTDU and Siptu, who between them represent 14,000 drivers. The unions claim Mr Deering has failed to listen to the concerns of their members who could lose more than €4,500 a year when the new fare is introduced.

"Mr Deering sent an email on Friday and said he was available for talks, but what's the point when he has tied our arms and there is no give from him on any of the issues," NTDU president Tommy Gorman said.

The three unions will meet tomorrow to discuss their next move, but there is "great support" among members for a further stoppage, possibly lasting two days, to be held within the next two weeks. Mr Deering said he is willing to talk to drivers but cannot change the new fare structure.

"What happened today won't change my mind and it can't change my mind. It would be an invidious position if a regulator could be forced by one particular sector's actions," he said.

The unions maintain that yesterday's action was a national protest, but it was mainly Dublin, the stronghold of the taxi unions, that was affected. Dublin drivers who serve the airport will suffer the biggest losses, with the abolition of both luggage and pick-up charges.

Any Dublin drivers who did work were not visible on the city's streets yesterday. Passengers arriving at Dublin airport were worst hit by the stoppage. While a very small number of people were brought to the airport by taxi, no taxis were picking up passengers at the arrivals area.

Aircoach, the private airport bus company increased its service from one bus every 15 minutes to two buses every seven minutes yesterday, while Dublin Bus maintained its usual Airlink and regular bus service, but sent an extra inspector to the airport. A spokeswoman for Dublin Bus said extra buses could not be sent to the airport because of the high demand in the city.

Most passengers were not queuing for more than 15 minutes for buses, the Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) said. A small number of drivers held a picket at the airport, but were restricted by the DAA to the roads surrounding the complex. A spokeswoman for the DAA added that it was in talks with the unions in relation to the airport charge and was considering implementing an annual fee, rather than a per trip charge for picking up passengers.