I am a retired taxi operator. It is important to taxi operators that they be allowed to carry passengers to their chosen destination at anytime. They provide a professional efficient and cheap means of travel to the Sligo concerts ( 5 euros per head for a group of 4 ).
I am sending this message to fans of Leonard Cohen to ask for support in the taxi drivers efforts to provide transport direct to the concerts during the July bank holiday weekend.
It is not fair to those attending the concerts that they have to take a taxi half way to Lissadell and then have to wait around for a hour or more for a shuttle bus and pay again to travel the remainder of the journey.
That is not a good or fair traffic plan. if a car can drive up and park within a hundred yards of the site , a taxi should be able to drop off passengers in the same area.also people should be able to exit the concert and hail a taxi if they so wish.
Some of the taxi drivers have indicated that they will block the roads leading to Lissadell if the service is curtailed, personally I do not support this plan but if they do this they would have the support of hundreds of taxi operators in the Sligo area.
This action would result in the only means of travel being by walking the roads or swimming in the Atlantic ocean to Lissadell.
They already have the support of the people of Sligo who want this event to run smoothly for visitors. If you wish to support their right to earn a living you can make your feelings known by emailing the Sligo Champion:
editor@sligochampion.ie today. Sincerely Jim.