Taxi Driver Online

Birmingham Evening Mail

July 25, 2006, Tuesday

HEADLINE: Bobbies to target revellers;

SUTTON COLDFIELD: Extra police plan

BYLINE: Neil Elkes

FRIDAY and Saturday night revellers will see extra bobbies on the beat in Sutton Coldf ield town centre. The town's anti-crime organisation, the Sutton Local Delivery Group, has stumped up the cash to provide the extra late night patrols.

It is the latest stage in a long-running campaign to tackle disorder and unruly behaviour in the town centre. Last Christmas the town's first taxi marshals were used to organise and calm the exodus of drinkers from the town and stamp out drunken rows, keep cars to designated pick-up areas and ensure late-night revellers have a safe ride home.

And the two new constables, who will be out and about from midnight until 4am, will work alongside the marshals and closely liaise with pub landlords. Insp Steve Worker, of Sutton Cold-field Police, said: "This is great news for the people of Sutton Coldfield. The two officers will be dedicated to working in the town centre during these hours and will be on hand to assist licensees and the taxi marshals should the need arise.

"This is in addition to our traditional weekend vans and patrols."

Fights over cabs at kicking out time and drink-fuelled anti-social behaviour were almost wiped out following the introduction of taxi marshals and staggered closing times last Christmas. The marshal scheme was extended until 2007 at least after official figures revealed that drink-related disorder had fallen by 94 per cent.

The three-week project was started by the Sutton Coldfield constituency office in partnership with police and licensing officials. Private security firms provided the marshals. Calls to the police about violence in Sutton town centre dropped 22 per cent. Plans are being drawn up to bring back the taxi marshals for this Christmas.
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