Taxi Driver Online

New taxi marshal scheme branded a failure - after they failed to turn up at violence hotspot

A trial 'taxi marshal' scheme at a Cambridge violence hotspot has been deemed a failure, after the marshals failed to turn up when summoned. Taxi drivers face violence and abuse and fights can break out after pubs and clubs spill out in the city centre. They called for marshals in the market square after several were hurt.

The incident took place about 3.30am on Sunday, September 30 with a number of taxi drivers assaulted, including damage being caused to their vehicles. Four drivers suffered facial injuries and bruises after being punched by drunken ‘revellers’ in the market square.

And a man was recently jailed for eight years after he knocked out two men at a Cambridge taxi rank, leaving one with serious head injuries. Pouria Sadjadi, 25, of Cadwin Field, Cambridge, was sentenced at Cambridge Crown Court on Monday, April 16). The assaults happened on September 16 last year, during the early hours outside the taxi rank in St Andrew’s Street.

That's why the St Andrew's Street taxi rank is monitored by taxi marshals and it was thought they could help quell any trouble at nearby market square. But the month-long trail held just before Christmas last year failed, according to taxi drivers and Cambridge City Council officials.

Paul Bradley, vice chairman of the Cambridge Hackney & Private Hire Association which represents 200 drivers, said: "We had a trial for a month with taxi marshals on market square rank which for the first week was great but from then on was near non-existent, as we came to learn due to logistical problems from the company that supplies the marshals was the reason given.

"When marshals are on the ranks it makes the rank a better area for the public and drivers and hope in the near future we can bring them back and they would be funded by city licensed drivers. "We worked closely with CAMBAC (Cambridge Business Against Crime) and helped a great deal and we are very grateful for his time and effort."

Adam Ratcliffe, CAMBAC manager, said: "Taxi marshals have been successfully operating on St Andrew's Street for many years now. "Following a serious incident at the market square rank involving violence towards taxi drivers, the taxi trade requested marshals to be present on the market square rank.

"CAMBAC and Cambridge City Council agreed to arrange a four-week pilot to see if the scheme could have an impact. "A new company was used to cover the pilot scheme and unfortunately they encountered staffing issues on two nights and were unable to provide relevant staffing. On the nights they had provided the service, it was agreed that they were effective."


The problems were highlighted at a meeting of the city council's licensing committee. The minutes said: "The taxi trade had originally suggested marshals at taxi ranks. "However, the marshals provided had been of variable quality and had proved disappointing.

"Trade feel that CCTV and the introduction of vehicle livery would help but had concerns about the costs. "Marshaling in St Andrew’s Street rank had been successful but the market area rank had different issues. "Food outlet customers mixing with taxi rank customers, and a lack of clarity about how the queue worked, had not been alleviated by the presence of marshals."

And council officers said: "The taxi rank marshals at St Andrew’s Street had been funded by the Cambridge Bid (Business Improvement District). "In order to provide a unified service across the city, two security service companies had merged in the pre-Christmas period. "The combined service had not been successful and the Market Street provision had been poor and would not be paid for.

"Officers believed that good marshaling could resolve some of the problems of the night economy."

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IDFIMH