Taxi drivers and business owners in Waterford have criticised ongoing road works in the City.
Parnell Street and Manor Street are currently closed off from 7am to 7pm each day for road resurfacing works - and works will continue until Friday October 28th.
Waterford Council say the works could not be undertaken overnight as there would be noise disturbances for residents in the area.
Local taxi driver Conor Ryan says the works are causing havoc for some people trying to go to school.
"I picked up a woman one morning and it took 43 minutes to get her lads into school. I said to her 'it's just mental, there's nothing I can do'. She had to ring forward to tell the school that they would be late. 43 minutes. You couldn't charge the lady what was on the meter after 43 minutes - because at the end of the day, she was only trying to bring her children to school."
Conor says it would be very unfair for taxi drivers to double charge their customers on account of the inconveniences resulting from the works.
"If you're bringing a lady in from Ballybeg to Barrack Street every morning - and it's €10, you turn on the meter now and you're stuck in all that traffic.. You can't turn around and say 'it's €17 this morning'. You can't do that to somebody. Times are tough. If it's €17 for five mornings, then that's €85. That's crazy money altogether. It's after causing havoc for every single person that walks, cycles, drives - you name it. Everywhere you turn, there are forty or fifty cars in front of you. You can go up slipways and side roads that bring you there faster, but everyone seems to know them this week - it doesn't matter, they're all blocked."
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