Taxi drivers in Berlin joined a nationwide protest on Wednesday, to condemn the government’s plans to relax regulations that would allow ride-hailing services like Uber to operate in the country.
Road blocks went up throughout the German capital, causing massive traffic jams, especially around the city’s Tegel Airport. As a result, access to airport was temporarily blocked for buses, forcing many passengers to walk on foot from a nearby bus station.
According to the changes envisioned by Federal Transport Minister Andreas Scheuer, the market will become more accessible to companies such as Uber. Another planned amendment, called the ‘return obligation’ will force drivers to return to the original pick-up point instead of seeking out passengers in the destination area.