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Paris taxi restrictions eased after drivers seek compensation for Olympic disruption

Passengers in front of the Eiffel Tower in Paris decorated with the Olympic rings ahead of the 2024 Summer Olympics, Wednesday, July 17, 2024.
Passengers in front of the Eiffel Tower in Paris decorated with the Olympic rings ahead of the 2024 Summer Olympics, Wednesday, July 17, 2024. Copyright David Goldman/Copyright 2024 The AP. All rights reserved
Copyright David Goldman/Copyright 2024 The AP. All rights reserved
By Eleanor Butler
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Trade unions argue some drivers have lost between 40% and 50% of their revenue because of the Games.

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Taxis will now be allowed to access red zones around the Olympic sites in Paris, the Minister of Transport Patrice Vergriete has said.

For safety reasons during the games, as well as to prevent congestion, areas of the city were split into colour-coordinated zones.

Red zones were previously branded as off-limits to motorised vehicles.

The rule change comes after five trade unions sent a letter to the Transport Minister this week, claiming that the Olympics had been a "huge disappointment" for cab drivers.

Due to traffic disruptions during the Olympic Games, the letter called up the government to provide financial compensation to cab drivers.

According to the document, some drivers had seen their revenue drop by between 40% and 50%.

Unions added that additional visitors, drawn to France for the Olympics, had failed to compensate for "the impact of traffic restrictions, the closure of venues, and the effect of usual customers staying away".

"Government messaging to encourage locals to take holiday or work from home" also drove this drop in demand, the letter went on.

Drivers in Paris were primarily affected, although the letter also mentioned drivers in the Marseille region, where football matches and sailing races are taking place.

"We understand the necessary restrictions involved in the authorities' decision to hold such an event in the heart of the city [Paris], and notably to hold the opening ceremony along the Seine," said the unions.

"Even so, it's unimaginable that taxi drivers alone should bear the financial consequences of the officials' decision."

Unions have demanded that a compensation fund be established, covering drivers during the period from March to the end of October 2024. The letter also called for a meeting with the transport ministry.

The plight of taxi drivers is shared by other businesses in Paris, who have complained of a slump in demand because of the Games.

A number of restaurant owners have expressed their anger at having to close outdoor areas.

Michel Cadot, the inter-ministerial delegate for the Olympic Games, announced earlier this year that a commission would be created to compensate companies penalised by the event.

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