Travel Safe

Travel Safe

IT’S the end of the road for trouble-makers who cause problems for Winsford’s taxi and bus operators.

Passengers are on route to safer travel now that all the town’s transport operators have stepped aboard the Winsford Travel Safe Group scheme and pledged to ban nuisances from using their services.

The scheme began clocking up mileage on July 7 and each month members will get together to discuss the incidents of criminal and anti-social behaviour which they have recorded. The troublemakers responsible will be discussed and decisions made to ban or warn individuals from all members’ vehicles for a set period of time.

Cheshire Police Business Watch officer Robin Curry, who led the way in setting up the scheme, is the co-ordinator. He said: “We want to get the message across that criminal and anti-social behaviour will not be tolerated and is not acceptable. The minority of people who use this type of behaviour can expect to be dealt with.

“This partnership approach highlights this and it will help us make sure Winsford remains a safe, welcoming and friendly town in which to shop, work or visit. It is not acceptable for taxi or bus drivers or passengers to have to put up with a small minority making their lives difficult."

Every vehicle in the scheme will display a sticker so that banned people know they can’t use it and customers know the operators they are using put safety first.

The group’s monthly meetings will be attended by Robin, representatives from the taxi and bus operators, an officer from the Council’s Licensing team and a representative from the Community Wardens.

The scheme also has support from many of the town’s pubs and off-licenses and if activity leading to a ban is alcohol-related the individual could also find themselves banned from all the premises in the Pub Watch scheme