Taxi drivers hold Olympics protest on Tower Bridge
Taxi drivers belonging to the United Cabbies Group and the RMT union brought traffic on Tower Bridge to a near-standstill on Monday afternoon in a protest against the exclusion of black cabs from the 'games lanes' around London.
One taxi driver even jumped into the Thames from the middle of Tower Bridge to demonstrate the strength of his feeling on the subject.
International TV and radio crews newly arrived in town for the Olympics flocked to the bridge to cover the dispute.
UCG had agreed a circular route with the police with the southern loop including Tooley Street, Tanner Street, Druid Street and Tower Bridge Road.
Transport for London's John Mason told BBC London 94.9 that the protests are "totally unnecessary" and that full access to games lanes for taxi drivers cannot be provided.
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