Ipswich nightlife to benefit from year-long Taxi Marshal schemeA group of people working on Friday and Saturday nights in Ipswich have been helping revelers to have a safe and enjoyable night.
The Taxi Marshal scheme will run for at least one year until next October and has been funded by Ipswich Central, Suffolk’s Police and Crime Commissioner, Ipswich Borough Council and Suffolk Constabulary.
The Marshals will help with a number of issues including ensuring queues are orderly and queue jumping is non existent, reporting illegal vehicles, making sure the correct number of passengers are on board and all in a good state to travel, disposing of all bottles, glasses, cans and fast-food packages before the customer gets on board the taxi and also ensuring the passenger has enough money to travel with the taxi.
Paul Clement, Chief Executive of Ipswich Central commented: “The Taxi Marshal service, alongside the new and improved Best Bar None Scheme that we are marketing, is a significant provision to improve and encourage a safe night out in Ipswich.
“The Marshals will ensure residents and visitors get home safely, a very important factor during the lead up to Christmas.”
Tim Passmore, Suffolk’s Police Crime Commissioner said: “It is extremely important that Ipswich town centre has a reputation as a safe and welcoming location where people can come to enjoy a drink, a meal or a trip to the cinema and theatre.
“Making our town centres safe and prosperous encourages people to visit and spend time and money enjoying what Suffolk has to offer.
“I am happy to financially support this marshalling project.
“People will get home quicker and more safely and less people hanging around after the pubs and clubs close will reduce potential disorder which in turn will reduce the pressure on the Constabulary. Everyone wins.”
Carole Jones, Economic Development portfolio-holder at Ipswich Borough Council commented, “We are delighted the Taxi Marshal service will be running in the town centre.
“People can enjoy a night out with more confidence, knowing that the marshals will be there to ensure the queues are quiet and calm.”
Taxi Marshal Colin Goodrich said, “The Taxi Marshal service is going very well and we are getting good feedback from the local bars and the public using the service.
“We hope to maintain this to the best of our abilitys and making sure the public get to there destinations safely.”
The Taxi Marshal scheme will run for one year on Friday and Saturday nights between the hours of 11pm and 4am.
For more information visit
www.allaboutipswich.com/taximarshals or alternatively download the All About Ipswich app, for IOS and android for free.
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