Larnaca, Cyprus. Taxi drivers in Larnaca called off an indefinite strike on Monday after contacts with authorities over concerns about passenger transport applications undercutting their business.
Strike called off after meetings arranged
The Pancyprian federation of urban taxis said it met officials from the road transport department and arranged meetings with members of the House transport committee. It said it cancelled the strike as a gesture of goodwill until the dialogue is concluded.
The federation added that after those meetings conclude, taxi drivers will decide on their next steps.
Concerns over activity at Larnaca airport
Earlier this month, the federation said ride-hailing applications operating in and around Larnaca airport, including drivers registered further afield, were infringing on their custom and reducing incomes for taxi drivers based in the town.
It described the issue as a matter of professional survival and demanded the immediate and complete disconnection of the signal and activity of all applications from Larnaca airport for vehicles registered outside the Larnaca district. It also called for strict and universal observance of the location in which taxis are registered by those applications.
Claims of illegal operation using private cars
Larnaca district taxi committee spokesman Giorgos Makris told the Cyprus News Agency that existing electronic applications operate illegally by using private cars. He said that at present, Larnaca airport has become a centre of lawlessness.
What steps do you think authorities should take to address taxi drivers’ concerns about ride-hailing applications at Larnaca airport?
