30 Jul 2018 | 10:33 AM UTC
Spain: Indefinite nationwide taxi strikes launched July 29 /update 3
Indefinite strikes and protests by taxi drivers in Barcelona and Madrid launched July 29; major service and traffic disruptions
Event
Taxi drivers nationwide launched an indefinite strike on Sunday, July 29, that continues as of July 30. The worst hit areas are Barcelona and Madrid, with protests also being reported in the main cities of the Andalusia (e.g. Málaga, Seville), Basque, Valencia (e.g. Alicante) Aragón, Galicia, Cantabria, Navarre, Baleares, and La Rioja regions. Reduced taxi availability and increased demand for other forms of transportation (bus, metro, other car services) are to be anticipated.
Associated demonstrations are also to be anticipated, including roadblocks and “go slow” convoys intended to create traffic disruptions. So far the protests have been concentrated around transportation hubs such as airports, train stations, and cruise ship ports, as well as the French border and major city avenues.
Context
The strikes are being held to demand legislation to limit operations by
car-hire services (VTCs) such as Uber. An associated taxi strike was
held in Barcelona July 25-26, during which time Uber and Cabify
suspended their services following reported attacks targeting
VTC vehicles.
Advice
Individuals in Spain are advised to allow for extra time to reach their destinations and avoid all protests as a precaution.
