Melbourne traffic: Taxi protest against Uber changes causes headaches on Bolte Bridge and in CBD
Updated
Dozens of taxis have driven through Melbourne in convoy to the steps of Victoria's Parliament after blockading the Bolte Bridge to protest against industry reforms.
The cars began the protest by crawling over the Bolte, a main thoroughfare connecting the north-west suburbs to the city, in both directions before stopping at the top.
They then moved through the city to Spring St to join with other protesters gathered on the steps of Parliament House.
The group left their cars and walked up the road to Premier Daniel Andrews' office at Treasury Place, calling for him to come out.
Drivers are angry at the Government's move to legalise the ride-booking service Uber, introduce a $2 levy on all trips made by hire cars and taxis, and abolish the current model of taxi licences.
The Victorian Taxi Association called the move to introduce a levy "unworkable", and said it was not the best way to compensate the industry in response to Uber.
Morning motorists were warned to avoid the bridge and faced traffic delays as the convoy moved into the city.
Trams have been disrupted and diverted by the rally at Spring St.
Taxi driver Sandy Spanos said they had no other option but to protest.
"If the Government wants to change the goal posts, that's fine but they need to take into consideration the people that they're impacting, which is the mums and dads," she said.
"I'm a mother, I'm a grandmother and I'm a wife. I have no interest in being an activist but the Government is forcing our hand."
Drivers 'losing their homes' under taxi licence changes
The scrapping of taxi licences has also been met with disapproval by the industry. The Government plans to buy them back at $100,000 for the first and $50,000 for the second.
Owners of more than two licences will not receive anything for the others.
The taxi association has argued licence-holders should be paid $250,000 for each licence.
At the time of the announcement, the Andrews Government said the changes would create an even playing field within the industry.
It said it would provide better choice and better quality services to consumers.
Linda De Melis from Victorian Taxi and Hire Car Families said her family had been in the industry for 50 years and owned six licences.
She told ABC Radio Melbourne the compensation was inadequate.
"We're not opposing industry change, the Government can dismantle the industry if they choose, but we as licence-holders should not have to pay the price," Ms De Melis said.
"The Government is seizing our licences for zero in return, and our licences act as assets, people derive income from them, they have loans against them.
"When fishing licences were cancelled, fishermen got a capital component for their licence. They were bought back. That's merely what we're asking for.
"We are at breaking point, people are losing their homes. It's that level of desperation that's driven us here today."
Topics: community-and-society, states-and-territories, melbourne-3000, vic
First posted
