The Southampton Daily Echo First have highlighted the dangers that taxi drivers face whilst driving around our city streets. Apparently two drivers have reportedly been attacked within just 2 days.

 

In one late night incident a driver is reported to have been knocked unconscious in Swathling, and in another a taxi driver was said to have been stabbed outside Southampton Central Railway Station.

 

Chairman Ian Hall of the Southampton Hackney Association (SHA) says there needs to be more attention paid to the safety of the taxi drivers in the city, saying that 'not enough attention is paid to the difficulties taxi drivers face'.

 

Ian has been a taxi driver for 33 years and recalls a murder of a taxi driver in the 1980s. Highlighting the dangers of the job and the need for drivers to be extra vigilant he said:

 

“What concerns me, is that in the last 22 years there have been 65 taxi drivers murdered in this country. It’s a particularly dangerous job at night. The majority of customers are absolutely fine and taxi drivers do a good job at getting people home safely. It’s all sorts of different people we are picking up.... It can be a bit of a volatile job but this is a good city to live and work in. Drivers need to be a bit careful but they are anyway.”

 

The police are investigating both of the attacks and have interviewed at least one suspect. Anyone with any information on either of the incidents is asked to contact Hampshire Constabulary on 101.