Darren Walsh from Ballyfermot makes his point during a taxi drivers’ protest at Free Now offices on Mount Street, Dublin. Photo:Gareth Chaney/Collins

Dozens of taxi drivers brought Mount Street in Dublin's city centre to a standstill yesterday in protest at commission hikes.

The unofficial protest by individual drivers saw taxis parked outside the offices of the taxi hailing app Free Now.

A number of drivers stood outside the office with placards stating their opposition to what they say is a 3pc hike in the 12pc commission the company charges drivers.

Officials from Free Now could not be reached for comment last night.

Gardaí said the protest was short-lived.

AA Roadwatch said the protest did cause some traffic delays. "The road was blocked for a short time but the protest didn't cause a lot of disruption," a spokesman said.

The company started here in 2012 as Hailo and changed its name to Mytaxi two years later before it was rebranded as Free Now.

It is now the largest taxi company in Ireland with 12,000 drivers. But it raised eyebrows last year when it introduced a controversial €5 cancellation fee levied on passengers.

Irish Independent