March 28, 2007
Cabbies protest against attacks
By Rebecca Bourne
ANGRY taxi drivers will demonstrate against Worcester city council today as the latest assault victim awaits surgery to rebuild his face.
The driver, who has not been named, needs an operation after a vicious attack by five passengers he picked up in the city at the weekend.
Worcester City Taxi Drivers' Association has blamed a series of physical and verbal attacks on publicity surrounding two city council sting operations, which found 40 per cent of cabs - two in five - were unroadworthy.
Members are also angry that city centre CCTV cameras were not working on the night of the latest attack.
Anne Murphy, secretary of the association, said the results of February and January's spot checks were regrettable.
But she added: "Drivers have reported increased levels of verbal abuse and harassment following publication and are now convinced that these dreadful assaults can be linked to the way that the issue was dealt with by the council."
Mrs Murphy - who says Worcester's taxis are safe, clean and well-maintained - said drivers would gather outside the Guildhall before tonight's meeting of the city council licensing committee to make their feelings known.
But committee chairman Councillor David Clark denied there was a connection and said the checks were carried out by authorities across the country in the interests of public safety.
He said: "If, when we did them, the vehicles were up to scratch, it wouldn't be necessary. But the last two have turned up 40 per cent of vehicles as being faulty.
"It is deplorable that attacks have happened - everybody should have the right to ply their trade without having to worry about such things. But I can't see it's anything to do with us."
The Worcester News revealed on Monday how a 52-year-old taxi driver - who wants to remain anonymous - suffered severe facial injuries in a brutal attack by five passengers after he let them out of his black cab in Windermere Drive, Warndon, at 4am on Saturday.
Mohammed Ahmed, the driver's son, said his family and the community have been left shocked by the brutality of the unprovoked attack, which has left his father with three fractures to his cheekbone.
"He now needs to have an operation to reconstruct his face and ensure his eyesight isn't affected. He is having a consultation today," he said.
Mr Ahmed also expressed his anger that CCTV cameras, which could have spotted the attackers getting into his father's taxi on The Cross, were not working on Friday night.
The attack came a week after another taxi driver was repeatedly punched in the back of the head by four passengers in a frenzied attack in the back of his cab.
Mr Miah, a father-of-two from the Arboretum, fears the attacks will only get worse unless police take them more seriously.
He said: "It took the police a week to contact me and they still have not come to see the car. I was lucky enough to get away with bruises. Will it take a taxi driver being murdered before something changes?"
Mike O'Grady, head of property at Worcester City Council, said: "CCTV operators were on duty, monitoring events in the town during the night.
"However, one of the two digital video recorders developed a fault at 12.04pm and failed to record any footage from The Cross area.
"The fault was discovered at 9.05am and rectified on the same day. Faults are very unusual and the manufacturer is looking into it."
A spokesman for Worcester police said officers did not only rely on cameras for information and appealed for anyone with any information about the attacks, which are not being linked, to call them on 08457 444 888, quoting 168S/240307.
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