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SilverTown cabbies say that booze related problems in the town centre are the worst they have ever been.
Stop the yobs
EXCLUSIVE by Pete Bainbridge27/ 8/2008
MACCLESFIELD’S cabbies say drunken louts are causing more trouble in the town centre than ever before and it’s just a matter of time before a driver is seriously hurt.
Drunken thugs are smashing cab wing-mirrors and doors, running off without paying or throwing up in the backseats, according to drivers at SilverTown Taxis.
John Hanmer, 51, owner of the Wood Street firm, said: "I have been owner here for seven years and worked as a taxi driver for ten. It has slowly gotten worse and worse. This is by far the worst it’s ever been."
John Wittig, 35, who has been driving for SilverTown for 18 months, said: "If you come down here between two and three on Sunday morning, it’s like Beirut out there. Some of our customers are great, even late at night, and would never cause a problem. But more and more are drinking too much, fighting, running off without paying, spilling chips and gravy in the cabs, or throwing up in the back. And we can’t touch these people. We are not police. We can’t deal with some of the incidents we have to deal with. It’s just a matter of time before one of us gets seriously, seriously hurt. We just want more respect from people who get in the cabs, and more support from the police."
Owner John Hanmer added: "If you’ve got a big bloke in the taxi, like some of the weightlifters we see, who’s been drinking too much, and he says he’s not paying, what can you do? We’re not trained to deal with drunk people like the police are. They have pepper spray and night sticks and training to deal with those sorts of problems. Don’t get me wrong. The police do a good job. But there just aren’t nearly enough of them out on the streets on a Friday and Saturday night. At 2am, the police are outside the clubs at throw-out time to deal with problems there, but they don’t come down here afterwards where the trouble comes. The other day, one of the drivers refused to take a fare because the guy was too drunk, and he broke the cab’s wing mirror off."
Macclesfield’s police boss, Inspector Gareth Woods, said that there had been two serious assaults in the Wood Street area and suspects were in custody for both cases.
Insp Woods, head of Macclesfield Neighbourhood Policing Unit, added: "There are other locations where there are incidents taking place, and we police the town centre the best we are able. Crime figures show that Macclesfield is safer than it has been for many a year, and the positive thing that comes from these concerns being raised (by the taxi drivers) is that we can create a dialogue and look at ways to improve further."
Cabbie John also called for the custody suites to be reopened in Macclesfield Police Station, in a bid to keep officers on the streets and make the Jordangate station a full time, 24 hour station.
But Insp Woods said: "The custody cells at Middlewich are very, very good. The old custody suites at places like Macclesfield are now too small, with all the new health and safety legislation, and new ones would be exceptionally expensive. And officers don’t often go back to Middlewich with detainees, they hand them over to a private transport firm, and then (the officers) stay in the town."
Macclesfield Central ward councillor Richard Watson said: "Obviously I’m not around in Park Green at 3am, but this does cause some concern. I haven’t had many reports myself, but there is clearly an issue. "The issue probably needs a good hard look to see exactly when these problems are happening and what can be done. I will be going down to see the taxi drivers and speak to them about this, and I will also be speaking to the PCSOs."
Most recent 2 of 28 user comments
The dibble always like to have a grumble, the last policeman to be happy was Dixon of Dock Green. All the ones since just complain. Its a right easy gig the police, they like to make out its tough but then you would do wouldnt you?
9/09/2008 at 23:36
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