An NHS worker ended up ranting at the organiser of Bristol’s taxi protest - after missing his bus home due to the demonstration.
The man, who had just finished a 13 hour shift as a driver for the NHS, became frustrated after missing his bus home after it was held up as a result of this morning’s protest.
The man found the organiser of the protest and chairman of the Hackney Carriage Drivers Association - Siaf Hussain - to vent his frustration.
“I just want to get home,” he told him.
“I’ve been waiting for a bus which I’ve paid for a ticket for which is now expired so I have to buy another one.”
Other taxi drivers came out of their cars to defend their actions, which saw the city gridlocked.
The protest, which started around 8am, has caused major disruption in the city centre this morning with traffic being held up, causing people to be late for work and hospital appointments.
The taxi drivers say they have a list of three grievances with Bristol City Council.
The first issue is with the way the council handled payments of the ARG - the Additional Restrictions Grant.
This is money given by the Government to self-employed people whose incomes have been badly affected by coronavirus lockdown.
Many taxi drivers said they hadn't been able to make the first claim due to them only being given 24 hours notice by the city council to apply.
Many missed the deadlines and have been left on the breadline as custom is still hugely down in the city centre.
The second issue is about the ongoing controversy regarding a taxi rank outside the Bristol Hippodrome on St Augustine's Parade in The Centre.
Last year, Bristol City Council closed the rank down, saying it was unsafe. In late October last year, taxi drivers held a convoy protest about the rank, after a number of drivers were fined for stopping there and picking up fares.
The third issue the taxi drivers have is surrounding the longer-term plans by the council to bring in a Clean Air Zone, which will mean the owners of all diesel vehicles and some older petrol vehicles will have to pay a charge for driving in or near the city centre - and taxi drivers want exemptions from this.
The discussion between Mr Hussain and the man ended amicably after the reasons behind the protest were explained.
Speaking to Bristol Live the man, who did not want to be named, said: “Having spoken to the leader of this protest I understand they’ve been treated very badly.
“How are they supposed to claim their grant if they are given just a couple of hours notice.
“If these things were out in the public domain, people would be more sympathetic.
“I’m just very tired. I’ve worked a 13 hour night shift and I just want to get home."
