Being a taxi driver comes with a range of important responsibilities beyond simply getting passengers from point A to B. They must ensure their vehicles are clean, roadworthy, and covered with the right taxi insurance.
Taxi drivers are also incredibly knowledgeable about their job – they often know the quickest routes and the best places to drop off and pick up passengers safely. They know when and where trouble is likely to flare – and groups of people queuing for taxis home after a night on the town is usually one of them.
It doesn’t take much for passengers to get fed up with waiting and try to jump the queue or become difficult and even aggressive if they don’t get their way.
To avoid situations such as this and to help make town centres places people want to visit, taxi marshals have been introduced to help ensure people get home safely and peacefully.
Safe place
One long-running scheme has been such a success that it is now in its 11th year. We have previously seen how Ipswich taxi marshals have been praised for helping make the town centre a safe place to enjoy a night out.
Now York is welcoming back its own taxi marshals, who will monitor two city centre cab ranks on Friday and Saturday nights.
The BBC reports that the long-running scheme has operated from spring to December for the past eight years, with two marshals on patrol at each location from 11pm to 3am.
The scheme is operated by York Business Improvement District and is credited with having helped to reduce noise complaints, street fights and public urination.
Operations manager Carl Alsop told the BBC it ensured “local residents can sleep and local businesses aren’t worried”.
“Ultimately, there might be a lot of drunk people there, but there also might be people who’ve just finished work or have gone to see a friend and just want to get home.
“The last thing they want is to be worried about a big group of people who’ve had a drink and might start something.”
Thriving
As well as ensuring trouble-free nights out it the city centre, the scheme also contributes to the city’s Purple Flag status, according to Cllr Kate Ravilious, executive member for transport.
Purple Flag Status is awarded by the Association of Town and City Management (ATCM) “in recognition of efforts made to create safe and thriving places for people visiting pubs, bars, clubs and restaurants at night”.
It is an internationally recognised scheme, similar to the Blue Flag awards to coastal towns for high beach standards.
Cllr Ravilious said the scheme had been “warmly received” by residents and businesses since it started in 2017.
It “supports the aim of reducing violence against women and girls” and “provides additional securities to the taxi trade”, she said.
Night-time economies in our towns and cities are finely balanced and it doesn’t take much to drive people away, especially difficulties getting home after a night out. Similarly, no one wants to be in a position where they could be exposed to confrontation or even violence while they wait for a cab.
Taxi marshal schemes also take the pressure off taxi drivers having to settle arguments about who was first, or calling the police if someone is threatening or violent.
The fact that these schemes have been running so long and – where they are seasonal – have been brought back year after year, shows they are helping make a difference in towns and cities, and also to taxi drivers.
