Angry cabbies caused traffic chaos in Birmingham after they downed keys in a wildcat strike over space at the New Street Station rank.
More than 200 stopped working because they said police officers tried to fine five taxi drivers who were waiting on double yellow lines. Their vehicles blocked roads and held up motorists trying to get through the city yesterday lunchtime.
The station has a dedicated road for taxis which can hold about 40 cars but they regularly queue on Queens Drive and Hill Street which lead to the main exit from New Street.
Birmingham and Solihull Taxi chairman Irfaan Ahmed said: “This is the best place for fares in the whole city.
“We cannot tell drivers they should not get fares there when they are trying to make a living. We have asked the council and New Street to provide enough space for us but they have refused. If the station only wanted 40 drivers they should have only given out 40 cards for the barriers they introduced, but instead they gave out 1,400. There needs to be room for at least 200 of us, a busy train from London can clear that many in 10 or 20 minutes.”
The protest was triggered by a police operation to check if taxis were parking illegally.
A Birmingham City Council spokesman said it supported the police’s operation and was working to improve taxi access to the station.
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