Taxi Driver Online

Taxi drivers call for protection as yobs target cabs with bricks & stones across Stoke-on-Trent



TAXI drivers are calling for greater protection – after seeing their cabs repeatedly pelted with bricks and stones across Stoke-on-Trent.

New figures reveal around 100 incidents have been recorded in the city in the last 12 months with many cabbies being left hundreds of pounds out of pocket.

And some streets have become so bad it is feared they may have to be blacklisted as no-go areas.

Now Stoke-on-Trent Private Hire Drivers' Association is calling on the police to do more to investigate the senseless attacks.

Cabbie Khalid Gulzar has been targeted twice in just four months, once in Bentilee and then at Eaton Park.

The 43-year-old, of Normacot, said: "Out of nowhere a brick hit my windscreen and smashed it. I just pulled over and called the police and checked my passengers were okay.

"I have lost around £220 with my car being off the road."

Most of the bricks were thrown at cabs on the move in hotspot areas including Bentilee, Meir, Chell Heath and Smallthorne but some vehicles were targeted while parked outside their owner's home.

Now Stoke-on-Trent Private Hire Drivers' Association is recording each incident to show police the scale of problem.

Chairman Shahraz Yaqub revealed the majority of attacks took place between 8pm and midnight during school holidays.

'We have seen stones and bricks being thrown at cars, it is becoming common practice'

He said: "We have seen stones and bricks being thrown at cars, it is becoming common practice. There's been a huge rise in the number of attacks, at least 100 incidents in the past 12 months.

"It's so bad, we've started to compile a database. Whenever a driver reports something to me I will record it as evidence.

"We want the police to take this seriously and if we are able to show streets where we are repeatedly targeted then we hope they will look to increase their presence to act as a deterrent. We deserve that help.

"I don't know why these yobs do it, maybe they think it is fun. But they could cause a serious accident and even cost someone their life."

Mr Yaqub said he was hoping to avoid a situation where some neighbourhoods are blacklisted as no-go areas.

'In other cities taxi drivers refuse to go to certain areas. We are not at that point yet but we will review what's happening'

He added: "In other cities taxi drivers refuse to go to certain areas. We are not at that point yet but we will review what's happening. We have customers that rely on us."

Mr Gulzar was travelling along Arbourfield Drive in Eaton Park on April 4 after picking up two passengers when a brick hit his car.

And just months earlier his vehicle was struck with a metal bar was as he drove down Ubberley Road, Bentilee.

Those two attacks meant his car was off the road for five days, with the recent repair bill coming in at £220.

'As I was slowing for a speed bump a lad got out a bar and hit the car'

He said: "As I was slowing for a speed bump a lad got out a bar and hit the car. It broke the near-side rear window and my passenger got glass on their hand. It was terrifying."

Superintendent Wayne Jones, northern local policing commander, said: "We are aware of incidents of this nature across Stoke-on-Trent and are investigating reports.

"We would like to remind people of the dangers of throwing items at any vehicle on the road – whether stationary or moving. These items can not only damage cars but they can cause incidents if the drivers swerve to avoid them.

"The targeting of taxi drivers can place an added pressure on, often small, businesses if vehicles are taken off the road."

Fellow cabbie Pervaiz Akhtar had a brick hurled through the driver's window while it was parked outside his Sneyd Green home.

The 51-year-old, a taxi driver of 11 years, said: "These incidents are very concerning."

Navid Hussain, the association's vice-chairman, added: "Taxi drivers provide a valuable public service.

'When cars are being targeted it's not just the drivers at risk of being hurt but the passengers too'

"When cars are being targeted it's not just the drivers at risk of being hurt but the passengers too.

"If a car is damaged it has to go off the road and that then costs the driver. It's not fair."

Police are now calling on cabbies to report incidents as soon as possible.


Read more: http://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/Taxi-dri ... z48BT5kcqV

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