Taxi Marshals

Getting home safe after a night on the town

Going out on the town at the weekend is a great way to unwind, whether it's a family trip to the theatre, a romantic meal out or a drink in the pub with your mates. But getting a taxi home at the end of the night can sometimes be a bit of a headache, with loutish behaviour after closing time and disorder at the taxi ranks causing some concern. However, thanks to the introduction of Taxi Marshals in Camberley town centre on Friday and Saturday nights, the Safer Surrey Heath Partnership is clamping down on town centre disorder.

Since May 2007, two Taxi Marshals have been successfully helping to maintain order at the High Street taxi ranks, ensuring people arrive and leave Camberley town centre safely, between 10pm and 3.30am on Friday and Saturdays nights. Wearing high visibility fluorescent jackets, the Taxi Marshals are linked to the police and local venues by radio. Always working as a pair, their main responsibilities are to help people find the next available taxi, keep taxi queues orderly, and report any misbehaviour to police before it escalates, or to venues before it reaches their doors.

Reducing crime and disorder

A three-month pilot of the Taxi Marshal scheme began in May after funding was agreed by the Safer Surrey Heath Partnership. Research carried out by North West Surrey Police's Intelligence Unit during the pilot has shown the initiative to be successfully reducing town centre crime and disorder at the weekends. Feedback from the public has also been overwhelmingly positive.

According to the police study, the number of reported crimes on Friday and Saturday evenings/early mornings fell from 102 during the period February 1 to April 30 - to 76 between May 1 and July 17. During the same periods, the number of reported incidents fell from 72 to 40.

Over two August weekends, police officers also asked 66 people using the High Street taxi ranks how they felt about the presence of the Taxi Marshals. When asked if they used the taxi ranks now when they didn't before, 51.5 per cent (34) said yes. Sixty-five per cent of people (43) said they felt more confident using the taxi ranks since the Taxi Marshals started, while 70 per cent of people (46) said they felt safer on the High Street with them on duty.

All Taxi Marshals are fully trained, and SIA (Security Industry Authority) badged and regulated. Local security company, DGL Services, manages the scheme in Camberley. DGL's course includes training in communication, conflict management, de-escalation and safe physical intervention.

Our photograph shows Sergeant Charlotte Dickson with Dean Lewis, DGL Services Operations Director, and Giovanni DiSomma, DGL Services Training and Marketing Manager.