London demos finish... for now

(YouTube credit: The Anderson Shelter) 

A week long protest by the ITA against regulators Transport for London ended in Aldwych on Friday.  

The organisers of the event who describe themselves as a proactive driver-led organisation representing 5,000+ members asked drivers to give up over 15 hours of their working week to highlight 13 grievances against TfL. 

A few hundred drivers responded to the ask each day by attending demonstrations at venues that included Parliament Square and London Bridge respectively.  

During the demonstrations a spokesperson from TfL said "The law stipulates that operators can continue until any appeals process is exhausted.

“We urge the organisers to call the protests off."   

This opinion was backed up by the capital’s biggest official driver association. Steve McNamara, General Secretary of the LTDA told members that licensing law governs the decision made by the regulators.  

However, London taxi driver, blogger and staunch supporter of the ITA Jim Thomas said “There's a reason 60% of the trade are not allied to an Org or Union. They feel disenfranchised.”

With no movement in regards to a resolution the protests are set to continue.