Taxi Driver Online

Police investigate use of unlicensed, illegal taxis in Derbyshire town

Posters are being displayed to raise awareness



Young adults are being warned of the dangers of getting into unlicensed taxis after a number of incidents were reported to police.

Police are investigating and Amber Valley Borough Council has launched an awareness drive following reports of the illegal vehicles being used in and around Ripley.

The new campaign aims to teach people of the signs and crucial steps they need to take to ensure the taxi they are getting in is genuine.

The council has received eight complaints from members of the public and genuine taxi drivers about unlicensed vehicles in recent weeks. These reports have then been passed to the police.

Several campaign posters are being displayed in and around Ripley town centre including late night bars and clubs.

The posters encourage taxi users to be aware of the dangers of getting into a car with an unlicensed driver.

One of the posters warns: "If your taxi is not licensed it's just a stranger's car".

The message is accompanied by an image of an 'illegal' driver looking suspiciously at his passenger via his rear-view mirror.



All licensed vehicles display a plate at the rear of the vehicle giving a personal licence number and the driver of the vehicle will also wear an ID badge showing his or her photograph - confirming he or she has passed necessary background checks.

Councillor Jane Orton, responsible for community safety at Amber Valley Borough Council, said: “We are very concerned for the safety of young people who are using unlicensed taxis.

"We would also urge parents to check on how their sons and daughters are getting home and to help us pass on the safety-first message.

"Young people can be particularly vulnerable after a night out and so it is very important they make the right choices when deciding how they will get home.”

I think there is a lot of merit in those adverts.

Sometimes people need to be made aware of what can happen.

_________________
IDFIMH

To be fair Amber Valley don't mess around when it comes to Taxis and the safety of the travelling public.

A good hard-hitting campaign.

A well intended and good idea, the problem is that after a night out so many of today's hard hitting party goer's have been binge drinking so hard they would have trouble telling a Taxi, PH or Car (any Car) from a Garden Shed..if it has a door they'll try and fall in.

Maybe a wee bit of education on how to go out and enjoy yourself while drinking moderately and sensibly would compliment this safety drive, responsibility for the individuals safety must rest firstly and mostly with the individual themselves, the amount of time's I have seen drunk and vulnerable young girls so out of their skulls on booze is frightening, they have no Idea where they are or even who they are at times...it's rather a worry to say the least.