Taxi Driver Online

Taxi drivers threaten curfew


FRIGHTENED cabbies are threatening a midnight curfew after three terrifying late night attacks on drivers.
Faced with drivers worried about picking up fares in the early hours, Peterborough taxi firm bosses are warning that they may have to consider taking cars off the road at a time when demand from night club and pub customers is highest.

Alarm has grown after three drivers were attacked in just three days over Christmas. One had a knife held to his throat by a robber, one was beaten up, and another was smashed over the head with a bottle.

The driver who found himself at the mercy of a man holding a blade to his neck worked for Betta Cars in Dogsthorpe, and his boss, Mohammed Shabir, said today: "Life is more important than money. A lot of these drivers have young families, why should they get attacked when they are only trying to earn a living to feed their children?

"Taxi drivers are scared at the moment. They don't know who is going to be attacked next.

"If the violence continues we are seriously going to consider stopping late night operations. Maybe we will only drive until midnight."

Victim Pervez Shahid (40), a father of five, was called to what he thought was a routine pick-up in Bretton, shortly before midnight on Christmas Eve.

Mr Shahid, who lives in Millfield, said: "Two men got in the car and then one of them asked me to pull over near some bushes as he needed the toilet.

"Then one of them pulled out a knife with a five inch blade and held it
against my throat. They shouted at me to give them money, so I gave all I had.

"I was so scared. I have been working as taxi driver in Peterborough for nine years and nothing like this has happened to me before.

"The other drivers don't want to drive late at night now."

Previously a taxi driver from Peterborough Cars had been struck with a bottle when he was caught up in a gang brawl in Welland Road, Dogsthorpe, at 3.13am on Christmas Eve.

Afterwards a 24-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of possessing an offensive weapon; two men, aged 24 and 18, were arrested on suspicion of grievous bodily harm; an 18-year-old man on suspicion of affray and a 25-year-old woman on suspicion of violent disorder. They were all bailed to return to Thorpe Wood police station on February 12.

Then, in the early hours of Wednesday a driver who works for Kings Cabs, was dragged from his car by a gang in Normanton Road, Welland. They drove off in the car, which was later found in Birchtree Avenue, Dogsthorpe . Later police arrested two boys, aged 17 and 16, a girl aged 17 and a 20-year-old woman, on suspicion of robbery. They were also bailed until February 12.

Peterborough City Council spokesman Mike Lennox said: "It is appalling that taxi drivers are attacked. We want to maintain a high taxi service in the city. We work with taxi drivers through a forum involving taxi managers and the council."

A police spokesman said: "All of these crimes are being treated seriously by police and investigations are ongoing."

Anyone with information on the attacks should call police on 0845 456 4564, or Crimestoppers, anonymously on 0800 555 111.

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