Following its success over the Christmas and New Year period, a taxi marshalling initiative in Worcester has been given the go-ahead to run for the next five years.
The city centre service, organised by South Worcestershire Police and the Safer Worcester Partnership, has also been considered for an extension over peak periods when taxi demand is high.
The initiative was in operation on 18th, 19th, 20th, 24th, 25th and 31st December and 1st January between the hours of 11.30 pm and 4.30 am. Taxi marshalls, wearing high visibility jackets and identification badges, were on duty at The Cross area in Worcester. With the help of radio links with the police, CCTV operators and each other, the marshalls helped to get the city centre revellers home safely.
Taxi Queue
Night marshalls play a key role in nighttime city centre security working to ensure that those queueing do so in an orderly fashion and that people in the taxi queue are not excessively drunk. Before entering taxis, marshalls advise travellers that food or drink is not allowed in the taxi and confirm that they have enough money to pay their taxi fare.
The Worcester taxi marshall service has been hailed as a success by taxi drivers, organisers and city-centre businesses and passengers. Worcester City Council’s community safety manager, Jude Langton, told the Worcester News: “Marshalling has now more than proved its worth, both in terms of reassurance for taxi drivers and their passengers and a much-reduced involvement for police officers, who have been able to deal more quickly with other issues.”