Marshalls to patrol taxi ranks in festive season run-up

marshals will begin patrolling taxi ranks in Leeds next weekend in the run-up to Christmas and New Year.

They will operate at three taxi ranks – Leeds Railway Station, Call Lane/Corn Exchange and adjacent to the Oceana nightclub.

There will be nine marshals, three at each location, from 10.30pm - 3.30am on Fridays and Saturdays from this Friday.

The marshals will also be present on Christmas Eve, Boxing Night and over the New Year weekend. They will ensure that members of the public queue up in an orderly fashion while waiting for a taxi.

The initiative is led by Safer Leeds, the city’s crime fighting partnership, and the taxi marshals will be in close contact with West Yorkshire police to report any issues.

They will be working alongside recently introduced street marshals who are patrolling the areas outside nightclubs as well as police.

The chairman of Safer Leeds, Peter Gruen,who is also Leeds City Council’s executive board member for community safety welcomed the work the marshals do.

He said: “We know from experience that taxi marshals make a real difference to safety in the city.

“We want people to come into Leeds at night and we want them to have a good time.”

“It’s important that people know they can enjoy the Christmas season and be safe at the same time,” Coun Gruen added.

Chief Insp Vernon Francis, from West Yorkshire Police’s City and Holbeck Division, who is responsible for policing in Leeds city centre, added: “Our city is becoming even safer, and it is thanks to the many schemes which run in the city centre such as the taxi marshals.

“These schemes will be in action throughout the festive period to ensure that people can enjoy the party season safely, and feel safe too.”