Angry taxi drivers protest at attacks (From Worcester News)

Angry taxi drivers protest at attacks

10:58am Friday 30th March 2007

• Print
• Email
• Share

UP to 100 angry taxi drivers protested outside Worcester's Guildhall following a string of attacks on their colleagues.

The drivers have accused Worcester City Council of "inciting prejudice" by making a report public which revealed 40 per cent - two in five - cabs were unsafe.

They say there has been an increase in verbal and physical assaults on drivers since the results of two sting operations were published in the Worcester News.

Among those protesting outside the city council's licensing committee were Tariq Hussain, aged 39, of Devon Road, Worcester.

He said: "I've been driving a taxi for 10 years and the number of attacks on me and other taxi drivers has increased recently. The public think, well, if the city council is attacking taxi drivers, why can't we do the same?"

Mohammed Ali, chairman of Worcester Taxi Drivers Association, said: "We are here to show our strength of feeling about the situation. The police, media and council need to stick with us, not be against us."

Many of the protesters entered the Guildhall for a meeting and addressed Councillor Dave Clark, chairman of the licensing committee.

Anne Murphy, secretary of Worcester Taxi Drivers Association, said many attacks did not even get reported to police.

"When the press release was issued the words "killer cabs" appeared in the Worcester News, and immediately after that appeared, trade members felt a backlash," she said. "It should have been obvious it (the press release) would damage the trade, and we feel it has incited prejudice in the community."

Coun Clark said the city council did not condone violence and found the attacks deplorable. But he said: "There is no evidence whatsoever that this violence is tied to our enforcement actions, which were necessary to improve the trade.

"As far as the press is concerned, when we sent out our press release the words "killer cabs" never appeared. It never appeared in anything we have said - our release was a factual report."

As previously reported in the Worcester News two taxi drivers were assaulted last week, including a 52-year-old who needs surgery to rebuild his shattered cheek bone.

Worcester police met with the Worcester Taxi Drivers Association yesterday to discuss the situation.

• Print
• Email
• Share