Nicosia taxi drivers to strike (again)

TAXI drivers in Nicosia plan to strike on Wednesday amid complaints against the Transport minister, saying he is “completely out of touch with time and reality.”

The measures, according to Panayiotis Kililis from the Nicosia Taxi Drivers Association, are a last resort as several of the problems they want solved are not being dealt with. These include combating illegal drivers, introducing more taxi ranks and reducing their costs that amount to €4,500.

“We need two types of insurance because the first one we have to have is limited to certain types of damage and does not even cover us.”

The drivers will gather at Makarios stadium at 7-7.30am and will close the roads at four points of Nicosia that have yet to be decided. Following this, they will proceed to the city central square and the transport ministry.

Referring to illegal drivers, he said they comprise 50 per cent of the sector and do not use taxi meters, over-charging clients.

The transport ministry was not available for comment, but Kililis conceded that although some taxi ranks have been introduced, they need more because “wherever we park is illegal.”

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