IN THE NEWS
RACIALLY ABUSED WEST MIDLANDS CABBIES URGED TO MEET ATTACKERS IN RESTORATIVE JUSTICE PLAN
Police and council chiefs have written to taxi drivers receiving race abuse to urge them to join a restorative justice initiative designed to stop future attacks and ‘get the support they need’. According to the Birmingham Mail, every taxi firm and driver is to be con- tacted as part of attempts by the West Midlands Police and Crime Commis- sioner to help crack down on incidents of race hate against them. It comes after a shocking report revealed Asian and Black cabbies in Birmingham and elsewhere are racially abused ‘every day’, some punched, scratched and threatened - yet they believe hardly anything is done to pro- tect or support them. Incidents are occurring “by the thou- sand”, with a third of drivers saying they experience abuse at least once a week. Nearly one in ten say abuse is ‘daily’, says the report, called When No-one is Looking - the Racist Abuse of British Taxi Drivers, by academic and equality consultant Dr Karamat Iqbal.
Only a handful of cases are reported because, say drivers, it’s become ‘normalised’ and they think little action will result anyway. But the level of reporting to police was ‘tiny’ in comparison with drivers deciding it was too time consuming and the out- comes limited. “There is little or no support from the licensing authorities for the drivers who experience such abuse,” says the report. “They tend to suffer in silence, treating it as a normal part of their job.” The report was triggered by a race abuse attack on city driver Abid Mustafa, who won national praise for his dignified handling of one racist, but said he had been reduced to tears by some abusers and was now quitting the trade. The West Midlands PCC’s office and senior councillors say they agree that reported incidents of abuse are likely
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‘the tip of the iceberg’. Official crime figures show that 568 incidents of hate were reported by taxi drivers since September 2018, most of them racist. In the joint letter, drivers are urged to come forward. It highlights a restora- tive justice initiative, designed to help victims of abuse confront their attack- ers in a way designed to help them explain the impact and, hopefully, change future behaviour. It says: “Sadly the statistics suggest you, or a fellow driver, has likely been a victim of hate crime whilst at work. It is our strongly held belief that (the offi- cial crime figures) are the tip of the iceberg, as many hate crimes go unre- ported. “This is of great concern to us and we must do all we can to challenge dis- criminatory, abusive and racist behaviour in the West Midlands.
“The PCC commissions a charity, called Remedi, to work with victims of crime. Remedi facilitates Restorative Justice, which involves bringing the person who has offended and the victim together, where appropriate and safe, so the person who has committed the crime can offer a full apology and explanation to the victim.” It can have “profound effects for reduc- ing reoffending and providing closure for the victim” and is especially effec- tive at “changing racist and hateful attitudes”. Drivers can access the service even without going down the route of mak- ing a formal crime report to police, the letter adds. Firms and drivers are being invited to meet with them and restorative justice experts to discuss how best to support them.
TAXI LICENCES UP IN BID TO MEET DRIVER SHORTAGES IN NE LINCS
Extra licensing officers have been drafted in to try to meet the demand for more taxi drivers in NE Lincs. According to the Grimsby Telegraph, the number of applications for taxi licences has gone up, according to the latest figures. North East Lincolnshire Council (NELC) has received 11 new applications over the past three months for new vehicle licences. The move follows the long delays and frustrations of customers unable to find a taxi amid a driver shortage which led to people walking long distances following a night out. NELC portfolio holder for safer com- munities, Cllr Ron Shepherd, said in the last three months NELC has assessed 69 driver licences, 177 vehicles and 11 new applications for driver’s licences. “We have taken on extra officers and moved the department to new premis-
es so that licensing is centralised at Doughty Road. We have new officers processing applications,” he said. He added: “Since the pandemic people are returning to taking a taxi, so we are seeing an increase in demand and more drivers are returning for Christ- mas. It is encouraging to see them returning to their trade and there is a demand for more vehicle licences.” Dave Atkin, owner of Coxons and manager of Grimsby Taxi Cabs, who has 25 years experience in the industry said: “Through the pandemic there was no encouragement or facility for people to train and become taxi drivers. So we had a perfect storm to create shortages.” Dave said it can also be difficult to set up as a taxi driver, to get the relevant qualifications and if you are a new driver, your insurance is going to be at least £3,500 a year.
DECEMBER 2021
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