Only two people use free taxi offer
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Sgt Lance Ogbourne and driver Robin Knowles of Robin's Private Hire launch the community safety vehicle project in Watton/
Only two people took advantage of the free taxi service for late night drinkers in Watton during the first night of the scheme at the weekend.
The police initiative, which is being trialled for three months, aims to curb anti-social behaviour by cutting down on the number of people walking home to places on the outskirts of the town after the pubs close.
The scheme hit the national headlines last week and Sgt Lance Ogbourne, who was behind the initiative, yesterday blamed what he called the national media's “gross misrepresentation” of the initiative for the reason why so few people used the service on Saturday.
He said: “Unfortunately the national media for their own reasons decided to blow it up out of proportion, put their own spin on it and identify it as “police providing taxis for drunks.” That was never the case. It is a community safety initiative to get people away from the town centre.”
He added: “Because of the label that the national press have put on it people felt uncomfortable about using the service. It was disappointing. It is a really good initiative. It is a shame that the media spin has discouraged people.”
Sgt Ogbourne said despite the disappointing start he remained “100pc convinced” that the service would be successful.
“When people realise the true facts I think they will be positive about the scheme,” he said, emphasising that the service is a small initiative to deal with a relatively small problem in a low crime area.
“It was identified that there was a higher proportion of petty crimes and emergency calls on the corridor from the High Street along the Norwich Road so this service was specifically designed to reduce the number of calls and incidents along that corridor.”
The scheme is designed to run like a scheduled bus service with pre-paid taxis outside the Norwich and Peterborough Building Society at half past midnight, 1am and 1.30am on Friday and Saturday nights. It takes people up the Norwich Road and drops them off at the entrances to housing estates up to Akrotiri Square. A £350 grant from the town council should fund the whole of the three-month trial.
Town mayor Margaret Holmes said: “It is a trial and I hope when all this furore settles down that the people of Watton who live up the Norwich Road get a more peaceful street and that some of the youngsters will welcome a lift home in the taxi bus.”
Robin Knowles, of Robin's Private Hire which is providing the transport, said: “I am going to be there every Friday and Saturday night no matter what, because schemes like this need to be supported.”
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