Taxi Driver Online

Not particularly interesting at all, but taxi marshals seem to be a declining breed, although no doubt there are a few ad hoc schemes over the festive period, as per this one.

Never heard of Rochford Council, and wouldn't know offhand where Rayleigh is, but they're in Essex and Rayleigh's population is around 30,000

(And, yes, the plural of ruckus is ruckuses )


Rayleigh to benefit from taxi marshals over festive period

https://www.echo-news.co.uk/news/231516 ... ve-period/

TAXI marshalls will now be on hand to help clubbers and punters get home safely after a night-out and deter violence over the busy Christmas period.

Rayleigh Town Centre will benefit from the addition of two qualified security workers between 11.30pm and 4.30am on Friday and Saturday nights until New Year’s Eve.

The initiative will see them man the High Street's taxi rank and has been re-introduced by Rochford Council in a bid to both prevent trouble and ensure the safety of taxi drivers and residents alike.

Cheryl Roe, deputy leader of Rochford Council, says the decision to bring back the scheme follows a handful of unsavoury clashes in the town centre.

Earlier this month, for example, a man was left with a serious head injury after an altercation in Rayleigh High Street before an arrest was made.

Cheryl said: “We have had a few incidents in the High Street as of late so we have used some funding to put taxi marshals in place.

“We are taking the initiative to protect the taxi drivers and the people using the town - you don’t want to have to fight to get into the queue because someone jumps in front.

“The pubs have their own security in place and in the past they have helped if there has been any issues on the taxi rank, but that is not their job.

“I am exceptionally grateful to them for that but we need something in place during these busier times, because every town has its issues.”

Although the introduction of taxi marshals has proved positive in the past, Cheryl says the arrangement will not necessarily be long-term.

Cheryl added: “It is not a foregone conclusion we will do this every week but people are feeling festive now and of course want to go out and celebrate, which is great.

“But we need make sure everyone is safe and can get home safe without there being rucks at the taxi rank when people have had a drink.

“We are talking about putting CCTV in the High Street but I would like to think having taxi marshals over the busier periods will deter trouble.

“Thank you to everybody who has been involved in putting this funding together, including those at both Rochford Council and Essex County Council.”

Wonder whose job it is to keep order in towns like this? The great unmentionables. Or, at least, it used to be their job...

just outside Southend about a mile from the airport in fact it's almost a suburb because you can't tell where one ends and the other starts

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lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector

Yes, a bit like your sentences

(Hint - sentences should end with a full stop, like this. Or, alternatively, the odd comma, while at times not perfect, and sometimes overdone, might make sentences a bit easier to read, quickly. And each sentence should start with a capital letter. Again, that makes it easier to read the sentence.)

(By the way, I deliberately put too many commas in the middle sentence above, to suggest punctuation like full stops and commas might be overdone. But there's no absolute right or wrong with this kind of stuff. However, a few full stops and commas are better than none at all, and a full stop at the end of a sentence is mandatory )

you do realise I do it deliberately don't you !

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lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector

And here was me thinking you just couldn't be ar$ed

This is the official council news release, which isn't really worth reading unless you're a bit anoraky about the nighttime economy stuff and a tad cynical about how this kind of thing often used for PR purposes. So this time it's the 'Portfolio holder for Climate & Economy' who's quoted, and she's 'working closely with partners'. Who'd have guessed?


Taxi marshals returning to Rayleigh High Street

https://www.rochford.gov.uk/taxi-marsha ... igh-street

Monday, November 28, 2022

Two Taxi marshals will be returning to Rayleigh high street to make sure those enjoying the nightlife get home safe, following on from the success of the scheme which ran throughout the festive period last year.

Funded by the Rochford & Castle Point Community Safety Partnership, Rochford District Council Licensing Team and Rayleigh Town Council, the officers will be on hand from 11pm to 4am on Friday and Saturday nights.

The two Security Industry Authority registered marshals returned last weekend and it saw them help maintain the taxi queue in the high street, making sure revellers don’t push in and that everyone gets into a taxi safely to make the journey home.

They will remain at the high street throughout the busy Christmas period until January 2nd.

Cllr Danielle Belton, Portfolio holder for Climate & Economy, has been working closely with the partners and welcomed their return.

She said: “We’re very aware at this time of year, when people are out enjoying themselves, it can get extremely busy at taxi ranks”.

“The taxi marshals will be on hand to ensure that queueing and accessing taxis are hassle free and safe for when people are ready to make their way home”.

“We know from previous experience that the marshals provide a strong visual presence with the effect of increasing public confidence.”

I get what you are saying, but I look at it that the council is fronting some, if not all, of the money, so if they get some good PR out of it, well to me it's a price worth paying.

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IDFIMH