Taxi drivers in Toulouse stage ‘snail’ protests against sector deregulation

Taxi drivers are set to continue protests in Toulouse until Wednesday (November 6), making travel through some parts of the city difficult.

The protests, taking the form of an escargot (or snail) demonstration – where cars are driven extremely slowly, causing heavy traffic – began on Monday (November 4).

Private taxi drivers are protesting against deregulation in the sector, specifically linked to platforms such as Bolt and Uber, and are looking for stricter rules for these companies and higher tariffs for drivers.

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They are also protesting against the way these platforms pay drivers who work for them, with some drivers feeling they have no choice now but to work via these platforms as the demand for traditional taxis drops.

Action was set to end at midday yesterday, however drivers voted to extend the strike to midday on Wednesday (November 6). 

Yesterday drivers converged towards the Compans district of the city, where Uber’s local officers are located. 

The Toulouse-Blagnac airport and main train station (Toulouse Matabiau) will be the focus of protests today, reports local media La Dépêche. 

Snail operations are frequently employed by taxi drivers in France – in March 2024 they were used in protests against changes to hospital transportation rules. 

Read more: French airports blocked as new taxi protests held in several cities