By David Clegg and Claire McCormack

MORE THAN 100 Dundee taxi drivers brought rush hour traffic in the city centre to a halt yesterday as their threatened industrial action began.

The disgruntled cabbies carried out an hour of rolling roadblocks aimed at paralysing the city’s traffic in protest at the way they claim they have been treated by the city council.

The drivers assembled at the T&G union building on Bellfield Street and at 4 pm headed down Blackness Road on to Hawkhill, driving the circular route at a snail’s pace around Marketgait for an hour.

Their peak-time action was aimed at bringing attention to their cause and commuters responded by blasting horns in support as they drove past, despite the disruption caused.

Estimates of the number of drivers involved ranged from between 100 and 200.

Police monitored the rolling roadblock, with cars, vans and officers stationed at various points along the route.

One driver taking part in the protest, Paul McEwen of The Big Taxi Company, said that taxi firms across the city were up in arms.

“We have had enough of the way the council have treated us.

“I have been a taxi driver in Dundee for 13 years and this is the worst I can remember,” he said.

“We want to show the council that we are serious. We won’t put up with the unequal treatment any longer.

“The boys who come in here with their money bags in the morning should be the ones making decisions in the trade.

“It’s not often you get unity in this job but it is good to see it today.

“We seem to be getting the support of the public.

“A lot of people seem to understand because they have their own grievance with the council, but when people can’t get a taxi we might lose that support.”

Mr McEwen said police had also been supportive.

“The cops have been fine. They just warned us to be careful at the beginning.”

Police said last night that the taxi drivers were made aware of what they could and could not do during their protest and that this was adhered to by those involved.

A spokeswoman said, “There have been no problems.

“Officers spoke to the drivers before they commenced and made them aware of what was lawful and what was not.

“They kept a watching brief and there were no problems,” she added.

Dundee Taxi Association secretary Mike Mulholland said drivers would persist with action until agreement was reached.

“It was good to see and the taxi drivers certainly seemed to be putting their point forward,” he said. “We hope to keep things going.

“The public were in support of us and you could see they are not happy with the way things are running.”

He said a meeting would be held to decide when the next action would be taken.

Around 250 licensed badge holders voted to take strike action to highlight the “contempt” they say the city council shows the trade, and to go to the Standards Commission with regards to “the conduct of councillors” on the licensing committee.

They also complained about Tayside Police, who they say have turned a blind eye to private hire cars “touting” for trade on the streets.