London Black Cabbies protest at illegal taxis in London in Victoria Street. Image:@TfLTrafficNews

A number of central London streets have been grid-locked by a black cab taxi drivers’ protest.

The United Cabbies Group organised a snarl up in Victoria Street which rippled out into neighbouring roads.

The cabbies were protesting against what they describe as ‘the illegal activity’ of some minicabs and taxis in London.

United Cabbies Group chairman Len Martin said:

We have continually complained of a lack of enforcement creating a real and present threat to lone females at night.

The cabbies chose Victoria Street for the focus of their protest because it is the location of Windsor House- the headquarters of Transport for London (TfL).

TfL said it had already taken action to address the cabbies’ concerns, having launched an operation to clamp down on illegal minicab activity.

45 year old cabbie David Garness from Dagenham in Essex told the Press Association:

We don’t like demonstrating like this but TfL is turning a blind eye to what is going on.

We have illegal operators coming down to London, sleeping in their vehicles, operating without insurance and without the necessary checks.

This has got to stop.

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