Taxpayers fund taxi rides home for drunks in police crackdown on violence after pubs close

Published 07th Oct 2009

Drunks will be given free taxi rides home after nights out in an attempt to cut violence and anti-social behaviour.

Pre-paid taxis are to be provided late on Fridays and Saturdays in the hope that drinkers will avoid getting caught up in trouble as they walk home.

But critics said the scheme was a waste of public money and could even encourage more people to go out and get drunk.

The scheme is being trialled for three months by police in Watton, Norfolk, and if it proves successful it could be adopted by other forces around the country.

Mark Wallace, campaign director for the TaxPayers' Alliance, said yesterday: 'This is not policing. It's mollycoddling at the expense of taxpayers.

'If someone goes out and gets drunk, it is their own responsibility to find their way home. There is nothing in the scheme to guarantee that people getting free taxi rides would not have been prepared to pay for one to get home anyway.'

Even Watton town councillor Alf Harvey, 75, a retired butcher, admitted he was not convinced the scheme would work. 'It might actually encourage youngsters to go out and get drunk, knowing that they will be able to get a free ride home,' he said. But he agreed to the trial and said 'we will see what happens'.

Sergeant Lance Ogbourne, from Norfolk Police's Safer Neighbourhood Team for Watton, which came up with the idea, said: 'This will remove many of the stragglers left over from the pub. These people would not normally take a taxi. They would normally walk.

'It is these people who are susceptible to incidents of crime and can cause criminal damage.'

The town council has agreed to hand over a £350 grant to cover some journeys and Norfolk Police said it was looking for other firms or organisations willing to sponsor the scheme.

However, the force was unable to confirm what the total cost of the trial would be.

A local taxi firm has agreed to take part and will charge 25 per cent less than its standard fares.

Stan Edward, 64, who runs Ann's Cars, said the firm would provide 'as many cars as it needs to make the scheme work' between 11.30pm and 2am at weekends.

Source: ' Daily Mail '

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