Taxi Driver Online

38 taxi drivers attacked over last 12 months

TAXI drivers were attacked 38 times across Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale last year, police have revealed. Cabbies working in the three boroughs suffered 34 assaults and four robberies during 2008.

There were 14 assaults and two robberies on Burnley taxi drivers, four assaults on Padiham cabbies and 12 physical attacks on drivers in Nelson and Colne. Bacup cabbies suffered two assaults and two robberies and there were another two attacks on taxi drivers in Rawtenstall and Haslingden.

Insp Jez Holland said there had been no significant increase in attacks on cabbies during the past year and said he hoped a scheme, launched last month, would cut down on assaults.

People getting into taxis in Burnley and Pendle may now be asked for payment up front by drivers, in a bid to prevent rows over fares at the end of journeys.

Insp Jez Holland, from Burnley police, said: “We are constantly looking for ways to help drivers and this will certainly help to reduce the problems that they face.”

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