TAXIS JAMMED OUTSIDE PARLIAMENT AS DRIVERS WAIT THEIR TURN TO GO IN GROUPS OF 20 TO LOBBY MPs. (NATURAL SOUND)




Initials AB/V/MGT/OS



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Background: SOME 4,000 OF THE MEN WHO DRIVE LONDON'S BULBOUS BLACK TAXI-CABS CONVERGED ON THE HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT TODAY IN A TRAFFIC-JAMMING PROTEST AGAINST COMPETITION FROM THE RIVAL MINI-CABS - A FORM OF HIRE TRANSPORTATION THAT HAS BEEN INCREASING IN LONDON OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS.
THE DRIVERS FORMED UP IN A FIVE-DEEP QUEUE AROUND THE PALACE OF WESTMINSTER AS POLICEMEN LED IN GROUPS OF 20 TO LOBBY THEIR LOCAL MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT.
THE DRIVERS WERE PROTESTING ABOUT GOVERNMENT FAILURE TO ACT AGAINST MINICAB FIRMS. THEY CLAIM THAT BECAUSE OF THE MINICABS ORTHODOX CABMEN ARE HAVING TO WORK ABOUT THREE EXTRA HOURS A DAY TO MAINTAIN THEIR INCOME.
ORTHODOX CABMEN HAVE TO UNDERGO STRICT TESTS ON LONDON GEOGRAPHY, HEALTH AND PERSONAL BACKGROUND BEFORE BEING GRANTED A LICENCE TO PLY FOR HIRE.
MINICABS CAN BE ORDERED ONLY BY TELEPHONE AND CANNOT BE HAILED IN THE STREET. BUT THEIR DRIVERS NEED NO QUALIFICATIONS BEYOND AN ORDINARY DRIVER'S LICENCE. THEIR CHARGES ARE APPRECIABLY LOWER THAN THOSE OF ORTHODOX CABS.
THE CABMEN POOLED VEHICLES AND ARRIVED IN 1,000 TAXIS TO DRAG MPs AWAY FROM A COMPLEX DEBATE ABOUT THE SITUATION IN ADEN. LATER ONE AGGRIEVED CABMAN SAID: "SOME OF THEM DIDN'T SEEM TO KNOW MUCH ABOUT OUR PROBLEM".