'This is a working class area - prices can't go up': Hundreds of striking taxi drivers line streets in Clean Air Zone protest

24.01.2022 - 19:09 / manchestereveningnews.co.uk

Hundreds of taxi drivers have taken to the streets of Rochdale in protest against plans for Clean Air Zone charges across Manchester today (January 24).

At the start of a working week, the usual bustle of taxis jostling for a fare outside the town's train station had disappeared.

Instead, private hire drivers were out on foot - with all taxi firms in the borough carrying out 24-hour strike action instead.

The first few weeks of 2022 in Greater Manchester have been dominated by complaints over the CAZ, which would see some commercial vehicles charged daily to enter the zone.

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The firms, representing roughly around 1,200 drivers in Rochdale, were protesting against changes to the minimum standards required.

It will mean hackney carriages and private hire vehicles must be less than five years old, and vehicles older than ten years must be scrapped.

Hundreds of taxi drivers gathered outside One Riverside - the main civic centre for the town.

The strike action began at 6am Monday and will continue until 6am on Tuesday morning (January 25).

Placards saying 'Save Our Trade' and 'Unjust and Unfair Minimum Standard' could be seen as speakers addressed the crowds outside the Rochdale Council offices.

While the Clean Air 'minimum standards' aim to create a greener environment by introducing new requirements around emissions, testing and accessibility, taxi drivers in Rochdale say they will come at a cost.

Mohammed Nabeel, co-owner of Streamline Taxis Rochdale, attended the protest today and said he hoped the strike action would highlight a need for the proposals to be looked at again.

"We’ve come to

Tags: action Citi Provident area Manchester

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