TWO new schemes to make the festive period safer in Worcester are being launched today.

South Worcestershire pol-ice and the Safer Worcester Partnership have teamed up with taxi drivers to pilot a marshalling service as part of NightSafe, an initiative to deal with drunk and disorderly behaviour.

West Mercia police have also launched a new text messaging service – a first for the force – giving shoppers and those on a night out important police messages straight to their mobile phones.

The taxi marshalling service will put trained marshals on duty at The Cross, Worcester, at busy times over the Christmas period. They will supervise the smooth running of the taxi rank area.

The marshals will be on hand to ensure people queue in an orderly manner, are not “excessively drunk”, remind people that no food or drink is allowed in taxis and to make sure that passengers have enough money to pay for their journey.

Sergeant Tanya Beckett, co-organiser of the marshal scheme with Safer Worc-ester Partnership’s Jude Langton, said: “This aims to make the experience of getting a taxi even safer and easier than before. It is also to avoid any unnecessary disputes as a result of misunderstandings or unacceptable behaviour.”

Taxi marshals will wear high-visibility jackets and identification badges. They will each have radio links to police officers and CCTV operators, as well as each other.

Taxi marshalling will be piloted at The Cross bet-ween 10pm and 3am tonight and tomorrow, from December 18 to 20 and again on Saturday, December 27.

The text message campaign will allow shoppers and revellers in Worcester city centre to receive free alerts via Bluetooth technology. The first location for the transmitter will be in McDonald’s at The Cross, and anyone within about 150 metres of the restaurant will be able to pick up a text if their Bluetooth is switched on.

Messages will include tips to stay safe, information about the taxi marshalling service and alerts about any violent behaviour in the city.

Inspector Andy Smith said: “This is a great way to get our important messages straight to the public in a current and familiar way.

“Different, brief and interesting messages will be sent at key times to ensure the right advice reaches the right people at the right time.

Police will be using a system currently owned and used by Darren Piches, the chairman of Worcester Nightsafe and owner of Bushwackers.

Each message will also have a link to the West Mercia website for more information about Operation Christmas Presence and other crime prevention advice. Both pilot schemes are connected to Operation Christmas Presence, a force-wide campaign which is aimed at tackling alcohol-related crime.