The city and the Ottawa airport authority are seeking an injunction to prevent taxi drivers from staging protests on the Airport Parkway, which have at times become violent in recent weeks.

The taxi driver union, Unifor Local 1688, was notified Monday that the city and the Ottawa airport authority filed the request.

The matter is expected to be heard in court on Wednesday.

"These protests have been ongoing now for a considerable period of time and caused serious interference with the public's use of the Airport Parkway," city solicitor Rick O'Connor wrote in an email Monday to Mayor Jim Watson and city councillors.

"The protests have also escalated into violence, as evidenced by the criminal charges laid recently against three protesters. Given the absence of any sign that the protests are abating in any way, and in order to foreclose against potential further escalation, the city and airport authority considered it imperative to take this step."

In August, the airport authority sought and was granted an injunction limiting protests at the Ottawa airport to 10 vehicles and 20 people, for a maximum of 18 hours per day, with no electronic amplification.

The protests have been ongoing since airport taxi drivers were locked out of the airport taxi stand for refusing to pay an increase in fees for the right to pick up fares at the airport.

Coventry Connections and the union remain in bargaining.