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| London taxi protest under way near Westminster | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Taxi drivers are staging a protest in central London over competition in the capital, which they claim has been a disaster for trade. | |
| Drivers are angry about what they regard as a lack of regulation including of apps such as Uber. | Drivers are angry about what they regard as a lack of regulation including of apps such as Uber. |
| The app works out the cost of journeys and cab drivers say it is the same as using a taxi meter, which only black cabs are legally entitled to use. | The app works out the cost of journeys and cab drivers say it is the same as using a taxi meter, which only black cabs are legally entitled to use. |
| Transport for London said it was "regrettable". | Transport for London said it was "regrettable". |
| More than 1,000 cab drivers were expected at the demonstration from 14:00 BST, which is due to last more than an hour and threatens to cause traffic chaos around Trafalgar Square and Westminster. | |
| Peter Kavanagh, of the Unite union, criticised London mayor Boris Johnson. | Peter Kavanagh, of the Unite union, criticised London mayor Boris Johnson. |
| "From failing to tackle the increasingly hazardous rickshaw brigade, to shrugging his shoulders and allowing the Uber app, which doesn't take bookings or even pay tax in this country.... the mayor has shown his true colours," he said. | "From failing to tackle the increasingly hazardous rickshaw brigade, to shrugging his shoulders and allowing the Uber app, which doesn't take bookings or even pay tax in this country.... the mayor has shown his true colours," he said. |
| A similar protest was staged in June. Drivers have been advised to avoid roads in the area during the protest. | A similar protest was staged in June. Drivers have been advised to avoid roads in the area during the protest. |
| Leon Daniels, Transport for London's managing director for surface transport, urged the taxi trade to communicate their concerns directly. | Leon Daniels, Transport for London's managing director for surface transport, urged the taxi trade to communicate their concerns directly. |
| He said: "It is regrettable that a number of taxi drivers - whose job it is to help keep this city moving - plan to cause unnecessary disruption to other road users." | He said: "It is regrettable that a number of taxi drivers - whose job it is to help keep this city moving - plan to cause unnecessary disruption to other road users." |
| One of the financial backers of Uber, David Bonderman, said governments should stay out of the way. | |
| "Uber doesn't need government help particularly, but it doesn't need government interference," he said. | |
| Mr Bonderman - a founding partner of TPG Capital, which backs San Francisco-based Uber - was speaking during a private equity conference in the US. |