Taxi Marshals have been proven to be highly effective in towns and cities across the UK in reducing illegal ‘pick ups’, controlling taxi queues, improving the safety of vulnerable persons and dealing with confrontational situations.
Confrontation can occur when individuals or groups of people behave in an unsociable manner in taxi queues. This type of behaviour has to be defused quickly in order to prevent violence and public disorder. Such disorder in a taxi queue can result in anything from physical assault to a road traffic accident if not controlled.
The Taxi Marshals work closely with the Licensing Authority, Police and other agencies, in order to ensure the efficient running of the operation.
They are able to communicate any problems that they witness via the NiteNet Radio scheme to the CCTV Control Room. Taxi Marshals are the ‘eyes and ears’ of the Licensing Authority and the Police and can play a vital role in the reduction of crime.
Professional Taxi Marshals are a valuable asset to any town centre operation and duties include:
• Ensuring the safety of passengers and their property whilst queuing and on entering taxis.
• Ensuring the safety of taxi drivers and prevention of damage to vehicles by physical methods or by soiling from food and drink.
• Managing taxi rank queues to enable a fair system of boarding.
• Deterring crime and anti-social behaviour at taxi ranks.
• Ensuring that lone females, vulnerable persons or persons accompanied by children are adequately supervised.
• Refusing fares where there is a reasonable excuse.
• Utilising NiteNet Radio (or equivalent) to report any criminal activity, including street crime, to CCTV Control, the Police and the Local Authority.
