Keep Calm – Worthing Taxi Zero Tolerance Campaign

Following reports, in recent months, of a number of individuals being threatening and abusive to the town centre taxi marshals and the taxi drivers that service the rank late at night and into the early hours of the morning a number of proposals to deal with these individuals have been approved by the town centre partners.

Worthing has a very busy and vibrant night life. Despite the large number of revellers enjoying their weekends in the town centre venues the area has over the years benefitted from a safe and relaxed atmosphere. Low public place violent crime figures have been achieved thanks to the hard work of all the agencies involved in the management of the night time economy and the co-operation of all the licensed venues. It has been proved how effective and safer the town centre is when all these parties have worked together.

Among the measures that have proved successful is the provision of taxi marshals on Friday and Saturday nights who ensure that late night revellers are safe making their way home from a good night out via the South Street Square taxi-rank. Worthing benefitting from professional SIA trained marshals generously paid for by regular contributions from the town’s licensed venues and taxi association.

Anti Social behaviour towards those providing a service in the town is unacceptable. As a result a ‘Zero Tolerance’ campaign is being launched following a meeting to discuss the problems that have started to emerge recently around at the town centre taxi rank late at night. The meeting was attended by Worthing Town Centre stakeholders including officers from Worthing Borough Council, Sussex Police, the Safer Communities Partnership and members of Worthing Pubwatch, Worthing Taxi Association, the Street Pastors, the Taxi Marshals and the management of the largest venue in the town - the Liquid Lounge.

In support of the ‘zero tolerance campaign’ - posters and leaflets will be distributed and displayed in all the town centre licensed venues, taxis and private hire vehicles bringing to the public’s attention Worthing Pubwatch’s pledged to ban, from all licensed venues in the town, anyone caught using, or threatening to use, violence against taxi marshals or drivers. 

In addition, Chief Insp. Ian Pollard of Sussex Police has vowed that his officers will do all they can to support the marshals and the drivers and has increased patrols in the area and CCTV coverage. 

The message is simple ….

On a night-out an individual cannot expect to get involved in anti social or violent behaviour in Worthing’s pubs and clubs and be welcomed in the town’s venues again. 

From now on the message is that your night-out does not end when you leave these venues. If you misbehave either at the rank or in a taxi you will be banned from the venues you love by Worthing Pubwatch.....

………………………………..Keep calm and don’t get into trouble!