Another Day, Another Demo

Again, yesterday afternoon, rank and file drivers answered the call and assembled at the Bank Junction, despite another section 14 being slapped on the peaceful protest, limiting a static demonstration to just 30 minutes. But at 3:30, organisers put plan B into action. 

The police tried to preempt the protesters and observers reported that groups of motorcycle traffic cops, with flashing blue lights, had been dispatched to both Tenison Way and The Old Street roundabouts....but again, they were out manoeuvred by the protest organisers. 

Apparently, plan B had been kept off social media. Drivers were instructed by word of mouth, to leave the junction and slowly make their way over to London Bridge

Southbound lanes soon ground to a halt and using the station forecourt, drivers doubled back around, causing the northbound lanes to become gridlocked. 

Drivers who chose to ignore their colleagues and look for work from the station, were caught up as the through road seized up, trapping Taxis on the rank. 

TfL's centre coms managers, frantically tried to re-phase the lights to empty traffic from the bridge, but in true TfL fashion, they just added to the chaos. Funny that, we've had months of congestion on this bridge, yet they just left commuters sitting there, as the bus lane was moving well.

They said it couldn't be done! 

But trade orgs who refused to support this week's demos have shot themselves in the foot as drivers are now looking at private legal cover (£8 a month) which could see their membership fall. It was their drivers who turned out every day, lanyards of all colours and even diaries on dashboards. 

Well done to those who turned out on these highly successful demos. On day 3, the trade out manoeuvred the Met, managing to get the Bank Junction closed, even though they never turned up and held their demo elsewhere. 

A spokesman for the ITA said:

"Tomorrow will be the last demo in this series for a couple of weeks, to enable our drivers who have taken a huge dip in takings this week, in order to fight for their trade. 

"But in the words of that great leader of men, General Douglas MacArthur, WE SHALL RETURN."

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