TAXI marshalls will now be on hand to help clubbers and punters get home safely after a night-out and deter violence over the busy Christmas period.
Rayleigh Town Centre will benefit from the addition of two qualified security workers between 11.30pm and 4.30am on Friday and Saturday nights until New Year’s Eve.
The initiative will see them man the High Street's taxi rank and has been re-introduced by Rochford Council in a bid to both prevent trouble and ensure the safety of taxi drivers and residents alike.
Cheryl Roe, deputy leader of Rochford Council, says the decision to bring back the scheme follows a handful of unsavoury clashes in the town centre.
Earlier this month, for example, a man was left with a serious head injury after an altercation in Rayleigh High Street before an arrest was made.
Cheryl said: “We have had a few incidents in the High Street as of late so we have used some funding to put taxi marshals in place.
“We are taking the initiative to protect the taxi drivers and the people using the town - you don’t want to have to fight to get into the queue because someone jumps in front.
“The pubs have their own security in place and in the past they have helped if there has been any issues on the taxi rank, but that is not their job.
“I am exceptionally grateful to them for that but we need something in place during these busier times, because every town has its issues.”
READ MORE: Rayleigh High Street assault leaves man with serious head injury
Although the introduction of taxi marshals has proved positive in the past, Cheryl says the arrangement will not necessarily be long-term.
Cheryl added: “It is not a foregone conclusion we will do this every week but people are feeling festive now and of course want to go out and celebrate, which is great.
“But we need make sure everyone is safe and can get home safe without there being rucks at the taxi rank when people have had a drink.
“We are talking about putting CCTV in the High Street but I would like to think having taxi marshals over the busier periods will deter trouble.
“Thank you to everybody who has been involved in putting this funding together, including those at both Rochford Council and Essex County Council.”
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