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Batley Today
April 19, 2007
Under attack!
ATTACKS on taxis in Birstall are still occurring, despite an increased police presence in the area.
Last month drivers refused to enter the Fieldhead estate after a series of attacks. Two people were arrested and are currently on bail, pending further inquiries.
Batley Neighbourhood Policing Team (NPT) increased its presence in the area, and reports of crime declined. But now a taxi firm has been attacked in Bradford Road, and the owner is calling for action.
In the early hours of last Thursday two youths entered the Town Cars office demanding a taxi. Apparently drunk, they were refused service so went on a vandalism spree, smashing the windscreen of a grey Ford Mondeo and a white van in the car park with a broken bottle.
Police were unable to catch the youths, who were running from the scene, but later arrested 19-year-old Jonathon Barrett , of Briarmans Road, Fieldhead, who was charged with three counts of damage to motor vehicles, a racially aggravated public order offence and damage to a dwelling. Barrett appeared before Batley and Dewsbury Magistrates Court on Monday where he was sentenced to 16 weeks in prison.
Owner of Town Cars Arfan Asif said the recent attacks have left drivers scared and vulnerable.
He said: "It's not nice when we are providing a service to others and things like this keep happening. The drivers are on the roads when things are being thrown at them and it's unacceptable."
Also experiencing problems are Oakwell Cars in the centre of Birstall. Director Rashid Wafim said the problem of the assaults is worse than it has ever been.
He said: "For a long time there has been trouble in Birstall with gangs of people throwing anything they can at the cars. Maybe it's because they have been drinking too much.
"They start fighting and the drivers are getting scared. Some have left and some don't want to work nights anymore. "They try to calm the situation down but they are just getting sworn at. We can't fight back at them, but we need to defend ourselves."
Mr Asif added: "With the added police presence trouble did go down, definitely, but it should be ongoing and the council should issue more overtime for these areas. Of course, I know this will need funding.
"In my opinion there should definitely be more CCTV cameras in the area than speed cameras. "The safety of everyone is paramount but I think the safety of our drivers is neglected. Of course we care about the safety of our customers as they are our livelihood, but we need more protection as drivers."
Earlier this month Birstall and Birkenshaw Area Committee agreed to put £30,000 toward a seven-camera network in the village. Plans are for two cameras on the Market Place and one in Low Lane, Nelson Street, Bradford Road Smithies Lane and on the corner of Bond Street and North Terrace.
Joint chairman of Kirklees Hackney Carriage Association, Akooji Badat, agrees that the attacks have been a problem over the last year, but says they are not regular attacks, happening perhaps once a month. He said: "If the trouble continues we will have to ban the drivers going into certain areas, but the problems do seem to be calming down.
"The police presence helps, but they cannot keep the cars in the areas all the time and the trouble keeps coming. "The police are doing a good job, but they do not have the resources. "There needs to be more public nuisance cameras than speed cameras in Bradford Road."
Sgt Julie Greenwood said: "Batley NPT has received funded overtime to deal with issues of anti-social behaviour and continues to target areas such as Bradford Road in Birstall."
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