1. 5Saturday,November26,2016 www.sunderlandecho.com SunderlandEcho
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Shiney Row
A183
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News facebook.com/sunderlandechoonline @sunderlandecho
Worries over ‘escalation of violence’ if marshal service axed
SunderlandCityCouncilmayhavetocutthe£125,000budgetfortaximarshals.
StationTaxischairmanGeorgeDaley.
Revellers and cabbies may
face further violence from
drunken yobs if a taxi mar-
shalling service is axed, it is
feared.
The night-time scheme,
establishedmorethanadec-
ade ago to prevent disorder
amongqueueingcustomers,
isfacinganuncertainfuture
as part of ongoing Sunder-
land City Council budget
cuts.
It may end as early as
April if nearly £125,000 of
funding is scrapped as part
of the authority’s search for
£74millionofsavings.
More details of how the
councilaimstoreachitstar-
get are now emerging with
question marks also facing
the future of sports pitch-
es, bowling greens and “key
parks”acrossthecity.
Preliminary talks are al-
ready under way with the
Football Association to find
apartialsolution.
Asfarasthemarshalsare
concerned,leadingcityfirm
StationTaxisfearstheirdis-
appearancecouldleadtoan
escalationinweekendintim-
idationandviolence.
George Daley, chairman
ofthefirm,whichhasnearly
Albion Place, also fears vio-
lencecouldincrease.
Mr Chapman, who is
chairman of the Sunder-
land City Centre Pubwatch
group, said: “It could lead to
an escalation in violence at
3am when people have had
toomuchtodrink,although
even just the fear could lead
tomorepeoplestayingaway
or heading off to Newcastle
instead.”
Businesses across the
citycentrecontributetothe
service according to their
ratable value, although
financial support from
Northumbria Police, which
originally ran the scheme,
hasnowended.
Councillor Michael Mor-
dey, cabinet member for
City Services, said: “A deci-
sion was made in last year’s
budgettoendfundingforthe
taximarshalscheme.
“We are in discussions
withthetaxitrade,thenight
time economy and North-
umbria Police about them
contributing to the service
astheyallbenefitfromit.
“At the moment it has
been left to the council tax
payer to fund and we are no
longerabletodoso.”
ByGavinLedwith
echo.news@northeast-press.co.uk
Twitter:@Sunderlandecho
“Itcouldleadto
anescalationof
violence”
nikchapman
Fears for revellers’
and cabbies’ safety
200 vehicles, said the fund-
ing cut was “understanda-
ble,butunfortunate”.
Headded:“Itisavaluable
service and it would poten-
tially have effects for both
ourstaffandcustomersand
thoseofother companiesin
thetown.”
The marshals mainly
workoutsidetheGreenTer-
race taxi rank on Friday,
Saturday and Monday eve-
nings from 11pm-5am, and
Nik Chapman, manager of
the Cooper Rose, in nearby
Come along to see
festive show
Bring the family along
to see Christmas
show, Silver Moon at
Sunderland Museum
and Winter Gardens.
The show will take
place on December 4,
from 1pm to 3pm.
For tickets, please call
the museum on: 0191
561 3456.
New bar is the
goal for rugby club
Horden Rugby Football
Club hopes to create a
new bar at its base.
The club has applied
to Durham County
Council for permission
for the development
at its Northumberland
Street building.
Check out textile
demonstration
Come along to
Sunderland Museum
and Winter Gardens
to check out a textile
demonstration by
the members of the
Sunderland branch
of the Knitting and
Crochet Guild. It will
take place on December
14.
Chance to chat
about crime issues
Easington and Grants
Houses residents can
have a say on crime at a
community meeting.
PCSO Andrea Leigh will
be at Easington Social
Welfare Centre on
Wednesday, December
14, from 6pm to 7pm.
mp calling for
a fairer deal on
transport – page 6