Businesses step in to fund taxi marshalls
A TAXI marshalling service in Cardiff is due to end at midnight on the night when thousands of boxing fans descend on the city to watch the latest Anthony Joshua fight.
The Cardiff Council-run service, which helps revellers get home safely after a night out, will end at midnight on March 31 – the night when the world heavyweight champion is back in action at the Principality Stadium.
Cardiff Council is cancelling the marshalling service, which manages queues for taxis at Greyfriars Road and Lower St Mary Street on Friday and Saturday nights, as it does not have enough money to run it.
But a new taxi marshalling service funded by Cardiff’s businesses is stepping in on the night the council-run service ends. For Cardiff, a group funded by city businesses, will fund ten marshals in the city centre on the night of the fight and will continue it for major events.
But Paul O’Hara, from Taxi Drivers Cardiff, a body representing the city’s professional drivers, said the business-funded service should be run on a more regular basis. He said: “We believe every bar in the city centre should contribute to funding these marshalls. We don’t think the marshalls should be stopped. Before they are stopped the licensed premises should be contributing towards them.
“The problem we have is a minority of drivers who cherry pick fares and don’t drive short distances.”
The marshalling of taxis in Cardiff was criticised at the last Anthony Joshua fight in the city last October, when some visitors queued until 5am for taxis home.
Adrian Field, executive director for For Cardiff, formerly Cardiff’s Business Improvement District, said the weekend at the end of March would be extremely busy and urged people to plan ahead.
He said: “As the council is removing the essential service of taxi marshals on the same night as the fight, we are having to step in to ensure the safety of our visitors.
“We will be putting ten For Cardiff marshals into the city centre to help guide visitors around the city and then at midnight, when the council staff stop working, they will be instructed to carry out taxi marshalling duties.”
Cardiff Council also urged visitors to plan ahead.
A council spokesman said: “The Council’s taxi marshals will be working until midnight on March 31. Taxi marshals from the Business Improvement District and the Council’s event stewards will also be working until the early hours of the morning to ensure people get home safely after the event. There will be a high demand for taxis on March 31 and we have been advising those that will be visiting Cardiff for some time to plan ahead.”