Banbury assault prompts warning on unlicensed taxis (From Banbury Cake)

Banbury assault prompts warning on unlicensed taxis

6:00pm Tuesday 8th December 2009

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PEOPLE have been warned to use only licensed taxis after a woman was assaulted on a night out.

The woman was in High Street, Banbury, when a driver pulled up and offered her a lift.

She got, in believing it was a taxi, but the male driver said something inappropriate, then touched her leg.

The woman demanded he stop the car and she ran to safety then called police.

The car was a dark grey or silver Audi estate with roof bars. Its driver was a white, Eastern European man with short blonde hair.

The incident happened on Saturday, October 24 at about 2.40am. Now Cherwell District Council, the authority that licenses cabs, has advised revellers to plan their trip home.

Nigel Morris, executive member for community safety, street scene and rural services, said: “While incidents like this are extremely rare in the Cherwell area, we would urge caution.

“Even when someone has made a prior booking, they should check that the car they are about to step into is operating legally.

“And if they are approached on the street by someone claiming to be a taxi driver, they should be very suspicious unless it is obviously a hackney carriage.”

Hackney carriages display a white taxi plate, have an illuminated roof sign and use taxi ranks. Private hire vehicles have a green taxi plate and can take fares only by prior booking.

Supt Howard Stone, area commander for Cherwell, said: “If people make a choice to get into an unlicensed taxi, they risk getting into a car with someone who may not have a driving licence, insurance, road tax or an MOT for their vehicle.”

All taxi drivers in Cherwell must display photo-ID at all times.

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