- Title: Portuguese taxi drivers protest against Uber in Lisbon
- Date: 10th October 2016
- Summary: LISBON, PORTUGAL (OCTOBER 10, 2016) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF LINES OF TAXIS ON STREET WITH WHITE AND RED FLAGS AGAINST UBER LINE OF TAXIS/PERSON WALKING PAST (SOUNDBITE) (Portuguese) FLORENCIO ALMEIDA, HEAD OF THE ASSOCIATION OF LIGHT VEHICLE TRANSPORT (ANTRAL), SAYING: "The weapons must be equal for everyone. If that's the case we will be here to negotiate but if not, of course, if we don't have the same weapons that they will have, we can't allow unfair competition. Today that's not the case because today they are aside from the law. It will be unfair competition and that's what we don't want." VARIOUS OF TAXIS ON STREET AT PROTEST LINE OF SPANISH (WHITE) TAXIS TAKING PART IN THE PROTEST (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) JESUS SERRANO, TAXI DRIVER FROM MADRID, SAYING: "I'm here because we (Spaniards) have the same problem as the Portuguese taxi drivers. Exactly the same. Therefore we came here to support them and we have to be unite in the whole of Europe. We have to be united because this is a very serious problem." VARIOUS OF GROUP OF SPANISH TAXI DRIVERS STANDING NEXT TO TAXI/ONE OF THEM WITH SPANISH FLAG VARIOUS OF BANNER ON TRUCK READING (Portuguese): "Costa, this is in your hands." VARIOUS OF ROW OF TAXIS DURING DEMO (SOUNDBITE) (Portuguese) PAULO PEREIRA, TAXI DRIVER FROM PORTO, SAYING: "I don't understand why Uber, Cabify and all those entities and more that will come because there are a lot of apps, why they don't want to talk with the taxi drivers. Are we all criminals? I don't believe so. I like to wake up at 0400am knowing that I will do an honest work like the majority of the Portuguese." RED FLAG ON TAXI READING (Portuguese) "Forbidden. Illegals." ROW OF TAXIS WITH RED AND WHITE FLAGS TAXIS BLOCKING TWO LANES AT AVENUE/ CARS DRIVING ON RIGHT LANE TAXI SIGN DRIVERS STANDING NEXT TO TAXIS WHITE FLAG ON TAXI READING (Portuguese) "We are taxi."/PERSON WITH SPANISH FLAG ON BACKGROUND
- Embargoed: 25th October 2016 10:47
- Keywords: TAXI UBER PROTEST TRANSPORT PORTUGAL Lisbon
- Location: LISBON, PORTUGAL
- City: LISBON, PORTUGAL
- Country: Portugal
- Topics: Society/Social Issues
- Reuters ID: LVA00153FA98N
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Thousands of taxi drivers took to the streets of central Lisbon on Monday (October 10) to protest against the Portuguese government decision to legalize ride-hailing services as Uber and Cabify.
The two main Portuguese taxi association have refused the government's proposal that allow Uber to operate in the country.
The government says the new law would regularize the sector and the ride-hailing services would have to operate under the same rules as the taxi.
The law was due to come into force in 2017 but the opposition of the taxi associations and the protests is aiming to stop the draft.
Florencio Almeida, head of the light vehicle transport (ANTRAL) said they will agree to negotiate with Uber if both services are under the same umbrella.
"The weapons must be equal for everyone. If that's the case we will be here to negotiate but if not, of course, if we don't have the same weapons that they will have, we can't allow unfair competition," he said.
Taxi drivers from all over the country gathered early on Monday at Lisbon's Park of the Nations, venue of the 1998 World Exposition, and drove to the Portuguese parliament building causing disruption to city traffic.
Some taxi drivers from Spain joined the protest.
"I'm here because we (Spaniards) have the same problem as the Portuguese taxi drivers. Exactly the same. Therefore we came here to support them and we have to be unite in the whole of Europe. We have to be united because this is a very serious problem," said Jesus Serrano.
According to the government, taxis would still have the privilege to drive through priority lines and park in public taxi stops.
But taxi associations say their members have to pay to get a cab license whilst Uber drivers are exempt of this fee. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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