Zandvoort respond to Dutch GP blockade threat

The municipality of Zandvoort is in talks with the taxi drivers threatening to disrupt the Dutch Grand Prix, in a dispute over whether they are allowed access to the circuit.

Around 150 taxi drivers could be prevented from having access to the circuit, which is set to host over 100,000 people per-day, due to not having the right certification to enter the area. Only a certain number of drivers will receive a special 'Taxi-pass' certificate which grants them access.

A letter has been sent by the drivers to the municipality of Zandvoort and the Dutch GP organisers, however a spokesperson for the area informs RacingNews365 that there will be no exceptions made.

Walter Sans of the municipality of Zandvoort, said: "In the past two editions they did not get access to Zandvoort, but last year taxis illegally obtained a pass-through ticket and entered the village on their own, where they offered services.

"That has caused a lot of inconvenience - problems within our mobility plan. This means that we have announced: know that the rules have been in place for two years and that we are really going to maintain and act on them this year. The taxis that are allowed have received a pass-through ticket and are therefore recognizable."

Taxi industry angry over situation

Taxi drivers have threatened to disrupt the weekend either through protest or blocking the access roads to the circuit.

The municipality of Zandvoort says they are in consultation with local authorities on how to deal with the matter.

"Now they say: we're going to block. What you get then is a situation just like with other demonstrations. You can do a protest in the Netherlands, you can demonstrate, so it goes like any other action," said the spokesperson.

"There is consultation with the people who are about public order and security, such as the police. Then we look at how such a demonstration can be managed. We have further explained why we have the rules [of the admission tickets etc]. Last year's evaluation report found that there has been too much nuisance due to illegal taxi pass-through certificates.

"So what we are doing now is entering into a conversation about the protests and demonstrations."