Cab drivers may boycott estate of fear
A taxi firm's drivers could stop picking up fares on a housing estate because of fears they may be attacked.
Drivers at Sky Taxis, in Gosport, have said they are worried about safety after yobs hurled a paving slab at a taxi, striking the driver in the head.
The attack happened after the driver received a late night call to go to Rowner.
The firm's boss said that it was latest in a number of problems, and taxi drivers are considering staying away from the area after dark.
The fears come as Hampshire police launch a personal safety advice card for taxi and private hire drivers following a number of attacks.
The 53-year-old driver who was attacked has asked not to be named as he fears that the yobs may track down him and his family.
However, he agreed to have photos of his injuries published to show how vicious the thugs had been.
He said: 'If someone has half a paving slab thrown at their head, they are lucky to be alive. If it wasn't for my think skull, God only knows what might have happened.
'While I was waiting for my fare, I saw someone coming along an alley at the side of the block of flats.
'Next thing I know a paving slab comes through the window and hits me in the side of the head.
'Then I came out fighting.'
The driver jumped out of his car and tackled the youth who threw the slab. Two more youths then appeared behind him and tried to get money from the car.
The driver added: 'The one who I was fighting started to scratch my face but I managed to bite his finger.
'Then while we were fighting, the other two started kicking me in the small of the back – it's completely black now.'
The youths made off with around 80 from the taxi, as well as a number of phone numbers the driver needed.
He then called for help over the radio and the police arrived within minutes with an ambulance who gave the driver seven stitches in his head.
The cabbie added: 'The police were brilliant. I was so glad when I saw them.'
He also suffered two black eyes – one of which he could not open for three days.
Karl Gilson, boss of Sky Taxis, said: 'When is it going to stop? Is there going to have to be a taxi ban in Rowner?
'Around 30 to 40 per cent of our business is from Rowner, but we might have to leave good people from there stranded as it is just getting too dangerous.
'I don't want to have to explain to someone that their partner isn't around anymore because someone has thrown a brick at them.
'My drivers have said they are not getting out of the car in Rowner because they are too scared, and we won't do jobs from withheld phone numbers, or do pick-ups from places like bus-stops.
'It's sad because we are having to turn away business – but my drivers' safety has to come first.'
The attack happened around 11.45pm on Wednesday, September 26, in Cornwell Close.
n Three Gosport men aged 22, 19 and 18 have been arrested and bailed until November 5, along with an 18-year-old man from Warminster, Wiltshire, in connection with the robbery.
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Portsmouth
Thursday 24 May 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 15 C to 23 C
Wind Speed: 8 mph
Wind direction: South east
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 13 C to 25 C
Wind Speed: 24 mph
Wind direction: East
