Taxi Driver Online

Dewsbury Reporter

September 15, 2007

Taxi marshals plan to help night revellers

DEWSBURY could be in line for taxi marshals to help late night revellers get home safely.

The scheme has been running in Huddersfield since December, and Kirklees Council's cabinet has now agreed to spend £150,000 keeping it running for another two-and-a-half years.

And council leader Coun Robert Light said the civilian marshals - who manage taxi queues, help prevent assaults on taxi drivers, look out for unlicensed taxis and reduce the chance of fights - could be brought into other towns.

He said: "The scheme has been effective in making sure people can use taxis safely on Friday and Saturday nights.

"The taxi marshals have made a big difference and that's why we want to continue funding them.

"We may expand the scheme to other towns in the district. Dewsbury and Batley would be obvious candidates."

The council is looking to secure Home Office money to be able to roll out the scheme, which began in a bid to cut alcohol-related violent crime.

In a recent survey 80 per cent of people said they thought violence in Huddersfield town centre had gone down.

Chief Insp Jon Carter, Dewsbury police chief and community safety coordinator for Kirklees, said: "These schemes have played a significant part in reducing violent crime, anti-social behaviour and criminal damage and I welcome the council's decision to continue to support and expand both of them.

"Rolling out the taxi marshals to Dewsbury would also be a positive move that would help make the town centre a safer and more vibrant place for everyone to enjoy."

The cabinet also approved spending £430,000 on increasing the number of drugs outreach workers, to tackle substance misuse by young people.
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