The service is monitoring that all taxis picking up in the city centre are licenced while ensuring taxi ranks are being used only by Hackney Carriage Vehicles, better known as black cabs.
Marshals are also monitoring private hire vehicles to ensure they are stopping in a safe location, not blocking roads or endangering pedestrians. Private hire vehicles must be pre-booked and cannot use taxi ranks.
It is a six-month pilot scheme in the Spon Street area from the BID and has been trialled for the last month.
Training has been provided for the taxi marshals by taxi licencing at Coventry City Council and the city council have been carrying out extra enforcement in the evenings to support the marshals and ensure that taxis are abiding by the rules.
Marshals have been DBS checked and are contracted to Coventry BID from Professional Security.
The service aims to create safer streets for visitors in the city centre by reducing the number of vehicles sitting and waiting unsafely, while also ensuring a smoother service for taxi drivers at the official taxi rank, resulting in quicker pick-ups for customers.
It also aims to keep roads clear for emergency services to access if required.
Mohammed Amjad, a taxi driver in the city centre, praised the initiative and its impact to date.
He said: “Before the introduction of this service there was no real coordination at taxi ranks.
“Private hire drivers would come in and block up the area and as a result we would lose customers.
“I have definitely seen a change since the programme was introduced. It is making it safer for our customers too when they are trying to get a taxi.”
The taxi marshal programme is one of a string of measures being introduced by the BID to enhance the visitor experience to the city centre, while increasing safety across the night time economy.
Coventry BID’s street patrol team has expanded its service to also patrol in the evening around Skydome and Spon Street area to deter crime and anti-social behaviour.
They will be covering nightlife hotspots in the city, with patrols taking place every evening from 10pm to 4am.
Coventry BID has been operating in the city centre for more than 20 years and was voted in by levy paying businesses for its fifth five-year term last year.
The BID works with its levy payers to make the city centre a great place to visit and work.
Coventry BID manager Joanne Glover said: “We are consistently looking for new ways to improve the experience for all stakeholders in the city centre.
“Whether you are visiting a bar or restaurant, run a business or are a taxi driver servicing the city centre, we are committed to making that experience as smooth, safe and enjoyable as possible.
“The pilot for the taxi marshal scheme is going well, with parking significantly more orderly in taxi ranks, traffic flowing and unauthorised vehicles being deterred from operating.
“Night time visitors to the city centre are now able to leave in a swifter and safer fashion by utilising licenced vehicles.
“Our night patrol team has also intervened in a number of incidents to help people get home safely and de-escalate potentially challenging situations.”
Councillor Patricia Hetherton, cabinet member for city services at Coventry City Council, said: “I’m really pleased that we have been able to support the BID team with this initiative. We want people to enjoy a night out in Coventry and then be able to get home smoothly and that’s what this marshal service is all about.”
Pictured: Coventry BID’s street patrol team and taxi marshals
