On Tuesday, taxi drivers and drivers with an LVC licence (who work for shared-mobility platforms such as Uber) protested in the city centre against the Taxi Plan implemented by the Brussels Region Government.
The procession gathered on Boulevard Roi Albert II near the North Station, before setting course towards the office of Minister-President Rudi Vervoort and the Brussels Parliament, to demand certain guarantees in the Taxi Plan, which comes into force on 21 October.
“Uber has been operating with illegal ‘limousine’ licences for eight years, even though they offer taxi services,” Khalid Ed-Denguir, president of the Belgian Taxi Federation, told Belga News Agency. “With this ‘band-aid’ regulation, the government is circumventing a Court of Appeal decision.”
Among other things, Vervoort wants the reforms to create a unified statute for all drivers, spelling an end for the LVC licence. He also wants to increase the number of taxis from 1,300 to 3,250 – a move criticised by the Belgian Taxi Federation that points to the fact that half of Brussels taxis are currently not being operated due to a lack of drivers.
In addition to the Belgian Taxi Federation, Ingoboka-Taxi, Elite Taxi and the Taxi Workers’ Collective also denounced the anticipated increase in the number of drivers.
“The government is creating unfair competition between taxis and platforms. The latter can work at a rate of €1.50/kilometre, while taxis have to charge €2.30/km,” Ed-Denguir said. “The government is encouraging customers to use apps instead of taxis. As for fares, we ask that they be the same as those of regular taxis, meaning €2.30/km.”
Approximately 120 taxis took part in the demonstration, according to Brussels Mobility spokesperson Inge Paemen. “The procession moved via the Small Ring Road and Vervoort’s office before continuing to the Brussels Parliament.”
“The police are on site and there are currently delays at the level of the Cinquantenaire and the Loi tunnel towards the city centre,” she said, adding that the demonstration has been without incidents.
