26 Jul 2018 | 07:45 PM UTC
Spain: Uber and Cabify temporarily suspend services in Barcelona July 25-26 /update 1
Uber and Cabify temporarily suspend services in Barcelona until further notice amid taxi drivers’ protests July 25-26; traffic disruptions and increased demand for alternate forms of transportation expected
Event
Ride-hailing services Uber and Cabify have temporarily suspended operations in Barcelona until further notice amid a taxi drivers' strike and protests which began on Wednesday, July 25. According to local sources, the suspension followed alleged assaults by taxi drivers on Uber and Cabify vehicles.
Around 2000 taxi drivers are reportedly participating in the protests and strike, scheduled for July 25-26, to denounce the removal of local laws which limit the number of licenses granted to vehicle-for-hire services (VTC) - a move which is expected to increase the competition faced by taxis from ride-hailing services. Taxi drivers may reportedly continue their strike in the coming days if the abovementioned rule change is not soon overturned. Representatives from both Uber and Cabify have declared that regular service will resume in Barcelona after the situation normalizes. Traffic disruptions and increased demand for alternate forms of transportation are to be anticipated in Barcelona in the near-term until the taxi strike and protests and ride-sharing service suspensions are resolved.
Advice
Individuals in Barcelona are advised to monitor developments to the situation, avoid all protests and demonstrations as a precaution, use alternate means of transportation, and allow for extra travel time.
