Taxi Driver Online

The marshals have proved invaluable as both a deterrent to trouble and as a helping hand to customers since they were first introduced to the town during the festive period.

The scheme was extended to the summer months for the first time last year and proved a huge success, cutting down on the number of incidents and increasing the number of drivers willing to service town centre ranks as a result.

It has again been co-ordinated by the Safer Cities Manager in partnership with Perth and Kinross Community Safety Partnership, Tayside Police, Perth Taxi Owners and Drivers Association and Perth Common Good Fund.

Marshals will ensure the safety of taxi drivers and the public in the city centre by providing two marshals at the taxi rank in Perth's Murray Street during busy periods on Friday and Saturday nights, between 10.30pm and 3.30am.

They are in place until Saturday, August 14.

Police figures indicate there is traditionally a rise in anti-social behaviour and a reduction in taxi drivers using the rank during that period.

Community Safety Partnership convener Councillor Willie Robertson said, "The marshals will help with smooth queuing and ensure that customers use the taxis properly.

"This includes the refusal of entry to any customer eating, drinking, smoking or being abusive or violent.

"Customers must also have the full fare prior to entering the taxi."

Mr Robertson added, "I hope the marshals will again benefit people going out at night and encourage more taxis to service the rank during the period of the scheme."

Marshals will be easily identifiable in fluorescent jackets and will be in radio contact with licensed premises, the police and CCTV operators.

Police officers will also be in the vicinity of the taxi rank and CCTV cameras will provide additional coverage of the area.

Inspector Jim Smith added, "Tayside Police is delighted to be working together with Perth and Kinross Council on the Safer City Programme in support of the taxi marshalling initiative.

"This is a repeat of a similar initiative in 2009 which proved to be very successful.

"Working together, the community officers aided by the taxi marshals were instrumental in preventing and detecting anti-social behaviour in and around the Mill Street area, while reassuring the public that they would get home safely after an evening out in Perth."


http://www.thecourier.co.uk/News/Perths ... perth.html

Dundee is also considering taxi marshals but it is not only for the punters its to stop the drivers fighting and to protect the public from drivers who batter the public over the head and drag them into their taxis.