Taxi drivers bring Bristol City centre to a standstill in protest at “busy” rank closure
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Bristol City taxi drivers brought the city centre to a standstill today as they protested against being banned from using one of the area‘s busiest ranks.
Members of the Bristol Blue Licensing Taxi Association (BBLTA) and other drivers have been fined for using the rank outside the Bristol Hippodrome.
Drivers are in uproar about the rank closure, which they say is critical for the trade and their livelihoods, but the council have said the rank is “unsafe” and must not be used.
About 50 drivers repeatedly drove around the city centre, causing major delays on the roads.
According to reports by Bristol Live, Chairman of the BBLTA, Saif Hussain, wrote to the council stressing the disaster the rank closure is to drivers.
But the council have said that drivers need to use alternative ranks to seek work, and if they don’t comply and choose to go against the their decision and continue to use the banned rank, then officials will issue penalty charge notices.
Today’s protest caused major delays on the A4044, up to J2 of the M32, as well as in both directions of the A38 out of the city centre.
