Taxi marshal scheme expands
The success of a scheme to combat late-night trouble at taxi ranks in Bath has meant it will be expanded to another area of the city.
From tomorrow night, taxi marshalls will operate around Kingsmead Square between 10pm and 2am on Fridays and Saturdays.
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taxi sign
Until now marshals were operating only at Orange Grove but the scheme's effectiveness at reducing anti-social behaviour has encouraged council officials to set up a new eight-week trial with a rank at the square.
Councillor Vic Pritchard (Con, Chew Valley South), Bath and North east Somerset Council's cabinet member with responsibility for community safety, said the new rank was one of a number of initiatives to make Bath safer in the evenings.
He said: "There are an increasing range of trial measures that support a safe night time economy."
He said a trial portable loo scheme at Orange Grove was making a big difference and that the council's public protection team was working in partnership with Avon and Somerset Police and Future Bath Plus to see what was most effective in reducing anti-social behaviour.
The trial is being advertised via the council's bluetooth technology which sends out messages to people's mobile phones.
At the moment the Orange Grove marshals are being funded by the council, but any extension of the Kingsmead Square scheme would be funded by the newly-established Night Watch initiative.
This brings together pubs, clubs and supermarkets in funding extra services to keep the city centre safe at night.
Mr Pritchard said: "If successful the aspiration is for the trial to become permanent and funded through Bath Night Watch.
"That is why we are urging pubs, clubs, restaurants, and supermarkets to sign up to this scheme. The more premises that sign up, the better chance there is of building communities where people feel safe and secure."
The scheme had been due to run between 11pm and 3am, but Bath MP Don Foster requested that it start an hour earlier to accommodate people leaving restaurants, the cinema, the Theatre Royal and Komedia.
Chairman of Bath Taxi Association Rob Hollingdale welcomed the pilot scheme.
He said: "All taxi drivers will welcome this trial at the Westgate rank. The taxi marshals at Orange Grove are very helpful in managing queues and defusing any trouble before it reaches the cab."
Avon and Somerset Police has also said it is pleased with the move.
Inspector Steve Mildren said: "Taxi marshals have done a good job at existing sites in Bath by stopping trouble before it happens and giving useful words of advice to those who may unwittingly be causing problems due to consuming too much alcohol.
"We want people to get home safely and be responsible when taking a taxi. Taxi marshals make sure people can finish their evening without any problems."
For more information about Night Watch, call 01225 477508.
8 Comments
by Kirsten, Bath
Monday, November 16 2009, 5:40PM
“Sorry Claire - but I watched the marshals waving down taxis. I watched them walk out in front of cabs and wave them into the queue - and other people I know have seen them do it as well. I'm sorry, but I'm not going to disbelieve the evidence of my own eyes. And I know they haven't got the right to do it - but they're doing it all the same. Unless, of course, it has stopped since I made a formal complaint about it.”
by Claire, ex bathonian
Friday, November 13 2009, 4:49PM
“Kirsten, marshalls have no authority in regards to flagging down taxi drivers and making them stop, they can only indicate to the drivers where they need to pull up too on the rank (if they are actually stopping), therefore keeping tight control on queue and preventing queue jumping etc. Taxis that are not stopping at the rank carry on around past the rank to pick up their fare.”
by claire bear, ex Bathonian
Friday, November 13 2009, 4:36PM
“As someone who worked as a marshall at Orange Grove when the idea first became reality, and knowing how violent and volatile the rank can be at 2.30am in the morning. I would suggest a BIG well done would be due to the security staff (Safe & Sound ukltd) who work with only their cool heads, and their training and skills in conflict management and control and restraint to diffuse these situations. Remember unlike the police these guys and girls have no PPE and only have the same powers as members of the public so therefore must deal with these situations using minimal/reasonable force! Extremely thankless and a very difficult job!
This is something that has made such a big difference to the safety of people getting home after a night out in Bath. Young and old! Doorstaff and marshalls all over Bath do an amazing job keeping people safe. LONG MAY IT CONTINUE!”
by Kirsten, Bath
Thursday, November 05 2009, 4:00PM
“And, before anyone points it out, yes I know its's the AbbEy - It's my typing at fault, not my spelling.”
by Kirsten, Bath
Thursday, November 05 2009, 2:29PM
“Having more taxi marshals is all fine and dandy, but then the question arises: quis custodiet ipsos custodes? I had booked a taxi from the Guildhall one evening at 11.45 pm. It didn't turn up, although the taxi firm kept saying it was on its way. Eventually I went down to the Abby rank, and saw that the marshals were flagging down taxis passing by and making them join the queue. No prizes for guessing where my taxi had gone. The marshals deny they do this, but I've seen them do it, and so have others. So the marshal system itself will need policing, otherwise anyone making a pre-booking can whistle for their taxi - it won't come.”
by The Gnome, Central Bath
Thursday, November 05 2009, 1:13PM
“The unfortunate reality Thomo is that if we put more police on the streets YOUR council tax bill will shoot up (And everybody else's for that matter) I think it is up to the pubs, clubs, restaurants, and supermarkets to sign up to this scheme. After all it is because they are open and selling the booze that causes the problem in the first place that causes the problems we have in the city centre.
Well done BANES, you might have got one thing right at last! Woo-hoo!”
by AH, Bath
Thursday, November 05 2009, 10:25AM
“Credit where credit is due - well done the council!
This has been one of their best ideas in my opinion. And, in my experience, has been very successful.
Taxi queues and Bath, in general, can be quite a volatile area at night when load of alcohol consumed revellers are out and this does make you feel a lot safer on your way home.
So thank you BANES!”
by Thomo, Bath
Thursday, November 05 2009, 9:37AM
“Another dilluted form of policing. Would we not be better spending this money on getting more police on the streets?”