Snail operations, blocking of the bus network … The demonstrations of taxi drivers continue in Paris, Marseille and Pau – Liberation

The hundreds of taxis « angry»» will continue this Thursday, May 22, to demonstrate in Paris, Marseille and Pau against new conditions of health transport and competition from VTCthe latter being sometimes targeted.

In the capital, Boulevard Raspail, located very close to the Ministry of Transport, should meet this Thursday and as the day before blocked, according to Information from France Info. Wednesday, concerts of horns and fireworks in the rain were heard until late in the evening.

« Provincial taxi drivers are rallying Paris with blockages provided in Orly and Roissy », Warned, in the branch of France Info, the secretary general of the National Taxi Federation, Dominique Buisson. The day before, taxis had blocked secondary access to the Orly platform for about fifteen minutes, the main axes being controlled by the police, the police reported.

The intersyndicale began a massive mobilization on Monday to protest against a new pricing of health insurance pricing on the transport of patients by approved taxi drivers, which should be created on October 1. These journeys to hospitals or medical offices represent an essential part of the turnover of many drivers, and 6.3 billion in the health budget in 2023 according to the Ministry of Health. Taxis are encouraged to group patients with close journeys, and to geolocate themselves to avoid fraud.

The sector says it is ready to discuss, in particular shared transport and « Cost optimization». But he asks for the freezing of the current project. Several thousand taxis in cities and fields have since demonstrated throughout France. The climate has been set out several times with the police and four Parisian demonstrators were prosecuted.

Many taxis also demonstrate against competition from passenger vehicles with driver (VTC), contact details by platforms like Uber or Bolt. The Ministry of Transport proposed on Wednesday May 21, reinforced VTC control. He will notably ask the prefects a « Strengthening controls against fraud targeting in particular illegal activity exercise, maraudes and illegal shortages« Tried to reassure the ministry in a press release.

«  »We are not againstThese measures replied Emmanuelle Cordier, president of the National Taxi Federation (FNDT). «  »But it is administrative, it does not meet the needs of the field« , She decided.

The Uber VTC platform called for calm on Wednesday by regretting the physical assault of four drivers on Monday, in Paris, Grenoble and Marseille, « Including threats with a firearm, a taser and even with the use of a tear gas bomb ». « The VTC and Taxi regulations are clear, and everyone must be able to exercise their activity serenely while respecting the law without being the target of intimidation», I said Laureline Serieys, director of Uber in France, in a press release. «  »We call for a de -escalation of tensions and respect for everyone’s freedom ”.

In Pau, taxis claim to have renewed their strike notice « unlimitedly« , According to Baptiste Ondarts, vice-president of a local taxi union. After going to the Prime Minister’s house, François Bayrou, they plan to « to invite yourself in institutional events and meetings in Pau« , He added.

As promised, this Thursday, strikes continue in the Pyrenean city with snail operations, the blocking, for motorists, from the station, as well as the morning immobilization of Idislis, the buses of the agglomeration bus, alert The Pyrenees Republic. At 6:30 a.m., time of the first departures, no bus was able to leave the deposit until the blocking was lifted at 7:15 am. Idelis confirmed that the buses had finally been able to start, with delays which were to be absorbed around 8:30 a.m.

On the side of Marseille, « Strong disturbances were expected from 7 a.m.« Warned the prefecture of Bouches-du-Rhône in a statement reported by our colleagues fromMarseille news. Also according to information from the authorities, the demonstrators announced a snail operation throughout the day of Thursday: from Ollioules, in the Var, where the appointment was set at 7 am. The procession should go to Marseille by the A50, at a very slow pace. Once at their destination, the demonstrators have planned to meet in the center, at the Prado avenue and Place Castellane, « causing significant discomfort of trafficAnnounces the prefecture. Already the day before, uninterrupted queues of dozens of taxis blocked the Prado avenue, causing large traffic difficulties, without degenerating.