IN THE NEWS
OVER A THIRD OF PRIVATE HIRE VEHICLE USERS IN LANCASHIRE FEEL UNSAFE
More than a third of PHV users in Lancashire feel unsafe when using them, according to new research from the University of Central Lancashire. The research, carried out in collab- oration with Chorley Taxi Asso- ciation, has found more than 200 PHV users who took part in the survey reported feeling unsafe when using PHVs in the county. The driver asking personal questions was top of the complaint list, with nearly half of the recipients suggesting that reason. That was followed at 35% by the driver speaking a different language
while nearly 31% said listening to the driver’s phone conversation to someone via speakerphone made them feel unsafe. Driving style, being a single passenger and the driver making inappropriate comments during or after the journey were also reasons made by nearly a third of recipients who stated they felt unsafe. The majority of the respondents to the survey were women aged between 26 and 40. Professor Joanne Westwood, from the University ran the survey with Dr Helen Richardson Foster. Professor Westwood said: “The
BANBURY STREET TAPED OFF AFTER TAXI CRASHES INTO HOUSE
A residential street in Banbury, Oxfordshire, was cordoned off by police after a taxi crashed into a house. The incident on Woodgreen Avenue happened between Sunday night/Monday morning, 18 August. Police tape blocked public access to the street, and a white taxi could be seen at the scene, having collided with a house and facing the road. Three men and a woman have since been arrested in connection with the incident which saw the parked white Peugeot taxi minivan crashed into by another vehicle, which resulted in it colliding with the house. Significant damage was caused to the property and the car was removed on Monday afternoon. Nobody was injured in the crash.
36 research findings are very
interesting and as far as we know, this is one of the first times that taxi passengers have been asked about their feelings of safety. “The research has raised many more questions but to have a third of all participants state they felt unsafe is worrying because taxis are a key cog in our transport system and sometimes they are the only transport option for many. “Also, Lancashire is populated with diverse communities with different ethnicities, who speak many lan- guages, so it’s unclear why this makes respondents from a range of ethnic groups, feel unsafe.” Uber was not included in this research, which took place over a one-month period last November. Shaz Malik, Chair of the Chorley Taxi Association, collaborated on the research to confirm their anecdotal knowledge. Mr Malik, the owner of Four Sixes’ Taxis in Chorley, “Every
commented:
A 19-year-old man and a 28-year- old man, both from Banbury, were arrested on Monday morning on suspicion of criminal damage. A third man, 59, also from Banbury, was arrested on suspicion of criminal damage later that afternoon. Then on Wednesday afternoon a 58-year-old woman from Banbury was arrested on suspicion of assault and criminal damage. All four have
been released on conditional police bail.
journey in a taxi is a moment of trust especially for women, who too often carry an invisible burden of vigilance when moving through public spaces. “This research reminds us that safety is not just about physical protection, it is about dignity, respect and the ethical duty we owe to one another as human beings. “For the Chorley Taxi Association, this is a moment to listen, to learn and to lead. We must ensure that no woman ever feels unheard, unsafe, or unwelcome in a space that should offer peace of mind. “True public service demands moral courage, and that is the path we are committed to walking.”
SEPTEMBER 2025 PHTM
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