Female students put themselves in grave danger by taking unbooked taxis, the Metropolitan Police have warned
Felix Spowage
The Metropolitan Police and Transport for London (TFL) have begun a campaign warning freshers of the dangers of taking unbooked taxis.
The safer travel at night campaign, aimed particularly at women, stated that by getting into unbooked taxis, students risked attacks such as robbery and sexual assault.
“Many people think getting a non-booked minicab home at night is cheaper or easier than waiting for a licensed, booked minicab, but this just isn’t true. Please don’t get into a car with a potential criminal. It could be a decision you regret for the rest of your life,” said Siwan Hayward, Deputy Director of Community Safety, Enforcement and Policing at TFL.
The yearly campaign is intended to educate newcomers to London about how to travel safely when clubbing during freshers’ week.
“While students are out enjoying themselves during the freshers’ period, officers from the Safer Transport Command will be tackling illegal minicab drivers as well as engaging with partygoers, warning them of the dangers of non-booked minicabs,” said Chief Superintendent Sultan Taylor of Safer Transport Command.
The warning confirmed that taxis waiting outside pubs and clubs are acting illegally if they have not been booked first.
By law, only black cabs can stop to pick up customers on the street.
According to the Metropolitan Police website, the number of cab-related sexual offences has plummeted since the introduction of this annual campaign.