Ipswich teenager shares frightening taxi experience

Posted:
6:00 AM April 15, 2022

All allegations of inappropriate conduct in taxis will be investigated say the council as it sets out how people today can report incidents. 

It arrives after a teenage woman from Ipswich shared a current negative working experience which she suggests has remaining her emotion wary of employing taxis in upcoming. 

Ally Cowles, 17, experienced booked a taxi to travel property soon after ending her day of do the job expertise.  

“The first point that happened was [the driver] locked the doorways,” she said. 

“He commenced telling me I was truly, genuinely really and how I looked a whole lot older than I am. 

“I proceeded to convey to him that I was 17, and then he commenced telling me he experienced children around my age, and that he could established me up or something.” 

Ally described her working experience with the taxi corporation to the law enforcement but the issue was not taken any more. 

In a study introduced in 2021 by the Office environment for Nationwide Stats, it was shown that 50% of girls felt unsafe walking by itself immediately after darkish in a quiet road in the vicinity of their house, in comparison to just one in 7 adult males. 

Using a taxi can be found as a harmless choice. 

The alleged remarks, Ally explained, ongoing “the entire way” by means of the 15-moment journey.  

“I felt like, I do not know what’s going on, I just never truly feel snug,” she mentioned. 

ONS facts also confirmed that women aged 16 to 34 experienced skilled harassment in larger numbers than males of the very same age. 

When the taxi arrived at Ally’s residence, she paid out the driver and locked herself inside of. Having said that, he did not travel away till her dad and mom experienced arrived house, around 5 minutes afterwards. 

Ally suggests she has not felt at ease employing a taxi considering the fact that this working experience. 

“I’ve been getting buses or I’ve been going for walks,” she mentioned. 

“When I’ve been on my individual, I’ve experienced anyone on the phone with me. I acquired the bus dwelling late at night time the other day, and I experienced my sister on the telephone for about an hour.” 

A spokesperson for Ipswich Borough Council reported: “The council considers all allegations these kinds of as this diligently, and we look into all issues.  

“Where conditions warrant it, the licensing committee decides if a driver really should hold getting authorized to proceed to push a private use vehicle or Hackney carriage.” 

A spokesperson for the Licensed Non-public Retain the services of Vehicle Affiliation mentioned that over-all, pre-booked minicabs, chauffeurs and taxis are “extremely harmless.” 

He ongoing: “It is not unusual for doorways to be locked for security explanations and some autos have kid / vehicle locks.

“It is also not abnormal for taxis and Non-public Seek the services of Autos to park where by they drop for environmental and effectiveness good reasons. 

“Anyone who approaches the community in the road, providing a automobile or taxi companies, is acting illegally and may nicely be a ‘bogus cab’ or ‘illegal tout’.  

“Never get into these types of a car or truck or offer with another person who methods you in the street, you could be in intense hazard.” 

Ipswich Borough Council made available the following assistance to travellers to preserve by themselves harmless: 

• Test the automobile is accredited – either from the app in which the car was booked – by checking the information match with the types on the app or by looking at the rear plate on the auto which claims if it is accredited as a personal seek the services of automobile or hackney carriage.   

• Get a image of the plate on the motor vehicle. 

• Sit in the again of the automobile, do not sit in the front. 

• Text a relatives member/friend the car or truck particulars. 

• Do not truly feel obliged to enter into a discussion with the driver. 

• If equipped to, record the dialogue on your cell cellphone, if you are awkward with what is mentioned. 

• Explain to the driver you are not pleased with the conversation subject, if you experience capable. 

• If you are not comfortable and in a created-up spot, inquire the driver to stop and depart the automobile. Call the operator and notify them what has took place and question for a substitute car or truck. 

• Phone 999 if you are in danger. 

• Report the incident to the licensing group at Ipswich Borough Council. 

• Report it to the Police via 101 or online