Angry Chelmsford cab drivers are appealing for more protection, especially at night, as many feel that fare-dodging and crime against cabbies are forever increasing.
The request for more CCTV in the borough comes after police recently released an image of a male who was picked up from Evoke nightclub and avoided paying his £13 fare by hiding in a bush and less than one week later another passenger dodged a £36 fare.
Former taxi association secretary, Terry Michel, said: “Abuse has got worse. People have enough money to get drunk but not to pay for a journey home. If they think they can pull a fast one, they will.”
Plea for Help
Fed-up cab drivers, who are working long shifts trying to make a living, also say they’re no longer going to sit back and take verbal and, in some cases, physical abuse from drunken members of the public.
Cab driver at Station Cars, Barry Palmer, commented: “The police ought to be a bit more helpful and a bit more co-operative. I know it’s hard with their cutbacks but we desperately need better CCTV.”
Many drivers have said the same thing – why should they have to put up with the abuse when it wouldn’t be accepted in other places of work?
Taxi driver, Nigel Kett, said; “We spoke to the council about CCTV coverage and as far as they’re concerned it’s fine. But it’s not, we need more on-street CCTV cameras – and cameras inside the taxis too.”
There are cameras fixed at the front and back of the station taxi rank and also one on Springfield Road but more is needed if the cab crime rate is to come down.