Galway taxi protest over new Uber rules to see drivers ‘slow down’ during peak traffic time

Taxi drivers will slow down in protest of the move by Uber Photo: Stock image

Taxi drivers in Galway are set to gather in the city today, Wednesday December 3, for a mass protest against new rules set out by Uber.

The company has introduced fixed fares to include a new ‘maximum fare’ which taxi companies argue will be detrimental to their livelihoods.

As a result, taxi cabs will be ‘slowing down’ throughout key routes around the city as part of the demonstration.

The protest is set to take place at 4:30pm on Wednesday, December 3 and is expected to see around 100 taxis travel around the routes for several hours.

There will also be protests taking place at the same time in Dublin and Limerick.

One of the protest organisers said on social media: “Over the past three weeks, Uber has deliberately destabilised the Irish taxi industry by forcing fixed fares onto a system that was never built for it. Let’s call it what it is: a direct threat to livelihoods.

“Save the Irish taxi industry — before it’s too late.”

The fixed fare will be offered to customers booking journeys through the Uber app or website in what the company claims has the potential to significantly cut price of fares.

Under the system changes, the passenger pays either the fixed fare or the amount shown on the meter, whichever is lower. The drivers say that they lose out where a car is then delayed by traffic or forced to take an alternative route and would significantly impact business.