PROTEST PLIGHT
HUNDREDS OF CABBIES GATHER IN BURY TOWN CENTRE CALLING FOR ACTION AFTER FELLOW DRIVER IS ATTACKED
Cabbies staged a 100-strong gathering to demand action to improve their safety after a driver was left with serious facial injuries in a brutal knife attack. Also supporting in the crowd were drivers from out of the area who came to show solidarity. According to the Bury Times, taxi drivers left their vehicles to gather in the town centre on Saturday 8 January – one of their busiest days – in solidarity with the driver, to say prayers for his ‘speedy recovery’ and to call for more action to safeguard drivers. Detectives say that at around 4.15am on Saturday, an armed man threatened a taxi driver outside Natwest bank on The Rock before attacking him with a knife. There is talk of strike action if more is not done to keep taxi drivers safe. Dave Lawrie, Director of the NPHTA, addressed the large number of taxi and private hire drivers in attendence. He stated: “Are we going to wait until someone gets badly hurt. No - the time for waiting is over. “There have been stabbings. There has been a driver murdered in London. There have been stabbings in Glasgow. “This is happening daily, monthly. Last month there was a driver viciously attacked, the month before there was a driver killed in Rochdale. The time for waiting is over. This standing together and taking a united front, making it known that we will not tolerate this any more is the way forward. “As has already been said, if you go into a council building, abuse will not be tol- erated. If you go into a hospital, abuse will not be tolerated. And yet these thugs get into your cab, abuse you and get away with it. It needs to change and it needs to change now and it needs to change at Parliamentary level.” Raja Naveed, Vice-Chairman of the Bury Private Hire Drivers’ Association said the driver had been left with “life- changing injuries”. Mr Naveed said: “Right now drivers are
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scared out of their minds and rightfully so, because this could happen to any one of them at any time. “So many drivers don’t want to go out and have told me they will go on strike if nothing is done by the police. “I want drivers and their families to feel safe and to know that there is someone out there looking out for them. “We don’t want any trouble and don’t want to antagonise the police, we are working with them and are in constant contact with them and will do every- thing we can to help them do their job.” Mr Naveed added: “I have spoken to the victim, a young man who has been literally scared for life. “The whole driving community is behind them and we will stand shoulder to shoulder with them and will stand together whenever this happens to one of our own. “We will work with police very closely to get to the bottom of this.” Bury North MP, James Daly and Bury councillors, Tamoor Tariq, Nicholas Jones, Jack Rydeheard and Khalid Hussain also attended the gathering. Mr Daly said: “We’re working with drivers who have suggested several
ideas as to what needs to be done.” He said that the council is working with drivers to improve safety and deter would-be attackers. “My deepest sympathies go out to the victim and all the drivers of the borough who have every right to go about their work safely.” A man has now been charged with the attempted murder of the PHV driver in Bury. Richard McCormack, of Bury has been charged with attempted murder, and has been remanded into custody. The 37-year-old appeared at Manch- ester and Salford Magistrates’ Court on Monday 17 January. A 24-year-old woman has also been arrested for assisting an offender. DCI Joanne Kay from GMP's Bury District said: “I hope this arrest sends a strong message that this kind of violent behaviour will not be tolerated, and has no place in our communities.” James Daley released a video giving Bury cabbies an update on the arrest of the suspect. He applauded them for their passion and determination to have their voices heard and ensure the police respond to their concerns. Mr Daly also met with the Police Com- mander and discussed how to ensure cabbies have a work safe environment.
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