Taxi drivers to stage another protest in Sandwell
Private hire drivers will stage a protest in West Bromwich town centre and Oldbury on Wednesday with a march through the towns.
Protesters will march from West Bromwich to Oldbury and back, starting at 11am, with disruption to traffic anticipated.
It was the latest in a number of protests by members of the Sandwell Private Hire Drivers Association (SPHDA) in a wrangle over long delays and high prices for licence renewals in the borough.
A spokesperson for Sandwell Council said: "We are aware of a protest from 11am on Wednesday involving a march on foot between West Bromwich town centre and Oldbury, then returning to West Bromwich.
"This may cause some disruption on the roads so please find alternative routes where possible and allow extra time for journeys during these hours.
"The march is planned to travel from Spon Lane, along West Bromwich Ringway, down Moor Street and along Bromford Lane, the A4304 to Oldbury, and then returning to West Bromwich by the same route."
A spokesperson for Sandwell Police added: "Please find alternative routes where possible and allow extra time 4 journeys during these hours."
It comes amidst rising friction between taxi drivers and Sandwell Council.
Leader of the council Kerrie Carmichael complained representatives of the taxi drivers did not turn up to an arranged meeting about the dispute before the last protest.
She said: "I was surprised to see the protest outside the Council house just an hour after representatives failed to attend an arranged meeting inside the Council House about the dispute at 11am."
Mohammad Niwaz of SPHDA, said they did not attend the meeting with the council because the email inviting them went into their junk box, so they were not aware of the meeting until two days after it was due to happen.
