Take a Taxi you can Trust

Eastbourne Borough Council, the Crime Reduction Partnership and the Eastbourne Business Crime Group have been working together to ensure safer taxi travelling in Eastbourne.

Working in conjunction with the Crime Reduction Partnership, Eastbourne Borough Council’s Licensing Department have developed a safety card entitled “Take a Taxi you can trust.” The cards, distributed across the town, raise public awareness and aim to ensure that the public only use Council approved licensed hackney carriage taxis, private hire vehicles and drivers.

The card distinguishes between private hire and hackney carriage vehicles, public safety information and provides contact details.  Several of the towns licensed premises and transport providers are involved in the distribution of the cards, aiming to ensure the safe transportation of individuals across the town. 

In addition, the Eastbourne Business Crime Group’s Nightwatch scheme has distributed its ‘Yellow Hand You’re Banned’ stickers to the three largest taxi companies in Eastbourne who are all keen members and supporters of Nightwatch.

The smaller version of the stickers which are also displayed in bars, clubs and restaurants throughout the town are positioned in the window of each taxi cab and warn offenders that have been excluded from Nightwatch members’ businesses, that they are unwelcome to ride in these taxis.

The sign also identifies these taxis as a ‘Safe Haven’ for overseas students visiting Eastbourne. Members have agreed to be a point of contact for foreign students should they encounter a problem whilst out and about in the town.

Eastbourne Borough Council Cabinet Spokesperson for Housing, Health and Community Services, Councillor Sandie Howlett, says, “The card aims to highlight the importance of using properly licensed vehicles and drivers and the overriding concern is to ensure public safety.”

Inspector Roskilly of Sussex Police said, “This is an excellent example of how we can work in partnership with the local business community to increase public safety, particularly around the night time economy.”