Cabbies in boycott after taxi rank brawlsVIOLENT brawls at taxi ranks in Inverness are driving fearful cabbies away from the city centre at night.
Fights caused by queue jumping, vandalism to vehicles and assaults on drivers has led to calls for increased security and even a strike.
Some taxi drivers have stopped working night shifts due to continued threats from passengers and many say it is becoming increasingly dangerous at peak times. Problem hot-spots include the ranks at Academy Street and Castle Wynd.
The city’s Taxi Driver Alliance will meet Highland Council officials in the new year in a bid to improve conditions for drivers and is not ruling out strike action.
Many drivers who spoke to The Inverness Courier said they had been left to cope with aggressive passengers alone, adding the city’s taxi marshals made little difference.
Michael Ogg now refuses to work at night. "People come to the rank and they have no respect," he said. "I stopped working nights because I didn’t think it was safe any more, people get drink in them and do all sorts.
"I wasn’t willing to put myself at risk every Friday night."
Another driver, who wished to remain anonymous, said: "You get people jumping the queue and running at the car. If you tell them to get out and wait, they react with violence.
"I have had people throw punches at me and threaten to kick my head in if I do not take them somewhere. Stewards just make the problem worse. There needs to be a police presence. The rank is not a safe place to be at all."
The driver admitted to breaking the law by not wearing a seat belt for fear of a passenger choking him from behind.
Andrew MacDonald, vice-chairman of the Taxi Drivers Alliance, is meeting the council in January to discuss a way forward.
"Security at the rank is one of the items on the agenda so I can’t say too much and I can’t comment on whether a strike will take place," he said. "We will be discussing the contribution made by the taxi marshalls, because there seems to be a lack of direction."
Retired taxi driver Norrie Donald, who is also a Highland councillor, had a knife held to his throat by a passenger and is calling for immediate action.
"Are taxi ranks dangerous in Inverness? Absolutely, and it has got much worse," he said. "Drink causes a massive problem.
"Many drivers try and stay away from the ranks and pick people up at an exact point. Having no choice but to work on the rank is an absolute nightmare and something needs to be done.
"A passenger once held a knife to my throat and were it not for my army training I don’t know what would have happened. I think the problems start in the pub but the police don’t seem to listen at all."
Mr Donald believes drivers should refuse to work on Friday and Saturday nights until safety improves. "A strike might be the only way," he added.
Inverness Business Improvement District (BID) provides six taxi stewards on the last weekend of every month and manager Mike Smith confirmed he would consider supplying additional staff if needed.
"We provide trained personnel at peak times and I am surprised by reports of violence because such incidents have not reached us," he said. "BID would happily sit down with any representatives and see what additional services we could provide.
"At the end of this week we will be putting marshals on every Friday and Saturday until the New Year."
Police confirmed there had been a small number of reported incidents at taxi ranks in recent months and that officers worked with pub and club licensees to reduce alcohol-related trouble and violence.
A spokesman pointed out that violent crime was down overall and the force’s experiences with taxi marshals had been extremely positive.
"They have proved to be a great asset and play a significant role in the Operation Respect festive campaign," he said.
source:
http://www.inverness-courier.co.uk/News ... 112014.htm
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