CABBIES brought central London to a standstill yesterday in protest against Mayor Boris Johnson giving mobile phone app Uber — a private-hire company — the green light.

Thousands of taxis blocked traffic around Trafalgar Square against the decision, which unions Unite, transport workers’ union RMT and the GMB have suggested subjects drivers to fraud and raises serious concerns around passenger safety. 

The unions believe that Google and Goldman Sachs backed Uber is breaking with the Private Hire Vehicles (London) Act.

Unite’s London & Eastern Unite Cab Section chairman Jim Kelly said the protest “was a huge success.” 

He said that Mr Johnson had shown a bias towards “wealthy powerful multinationals and corporations.” 

However the buoyant mood among cab drivers was dampened by poilce who imposed conditions on the demonstration.

RMT acting general secretary Mick Cash said: “It is shocking that taxi drivers protesting in defence of their trade should be threatened with blanket arrest.”

“This protest is about the ripping up of established metering and hire regulations in the name of greed and private profit.”