Wharf Street in Newbury remains cordoned off this morning after two people were taken to hospital, following a stabbing near the Hogs Head public house. The stabbing is alleged to have taken place at approximately 3.00am this morning (Saturday) as late night revellers were making their way to the new taxi rank in the Wharf.

Earlier on Friday evening, taxi drivers organised a protest demonstration through the streets of Newbury, because they were concerned about
the problems of the newly positioned taxi rank. One of the reasons for their concern was the safety of the public as they made their way through the poorly lit streets to the Wharf.

The police were forced to return the taxi rank back to the Market Place, as a temporary measure to clear the crowds of onlookers who were leaving late night venues.

At a meeting in the Town Hall on Friday afternoon, West Berkshire Council were advised that there was no logical reason for the taxis being banned from their original rank in the Market Place between the hours of of 5.00pm and 8.00am. The taxi drivers were advised that their request for reinstatement would not even be reconsidered for at least six months.

Quoted from Administrator

At a meeting in the Town Hall on Friday afternoon, West Berkshire Council were advised that there was no logical reason for the taxis being banned from their original rank in the Market Place between the hours of of 5.00pm and 8.00am. The taxi drivers were advised that their request for reinstatement would not even be reconsidered for at least six months.

Another stupid decision taken by West Berkshire Council without any public consultation, or if there was I don't remember anything about it.

The Market Place is the obvious place for the taxi rank.

This was brought up at the Newbury Retailers meetimg at least 6+ months ago and a representative of WBC and the taxi association were there.

Everbody without exception thought removing the taxis from the market place was a bad idea. No body expected a stabbing, however we all thought the potential congestion and bad lighting could cause trouble. Obviously, the exception was the WBC member. In addition, the councillors there also kept very silent.

Spartacus, I only copied your name as I thought others would say "no I am Spartacus etc" as per the film. If it causes you a problem I will change my name.

The Wharf is not ideal for a rank really, is there any CCTV down there? Will take a look later.

OK, from speaking to cab drivers in this morning:

Over 40 cabs took part in the protest last night about the siting of the ranks and the safety issues they cause.
Ten police officers were in the market place, and the rumour is that a number of drivers were given penalty notices for various things.
The cab drivers say the CCTV in the Wharf area is not working, so groups of people heading to the wharf rank are clashing on the way to cabs and there have been no safety measures inplemented since the rank moved.
The post office rank is causing traffic disruption because cabs are lining up around the corner to pick up passengers in what is now regarded as the best place to pick up in the evenings.
Apparently this is not the first incident to take place, and if it had not have involved stabbings would have probably gone unreported.
If ten officers can be in the market place to intimidate cab drivers protesting, why are there no officers in the Wharf area / Market Place at 3am (kicking out time)?

The council need to take swift action to prevent further incidents, and if that means returning cabs to the Market Place this evening until proper safety measure are in place, that is what should be done.

Following the information I have received, this is the press release I have put out from the Labour Party regarding what was a manifesto issue:

Richard Garvie, Newbury Labour Party:

"It is with great regret that two members of the public were stabbed in Newbury in the early hours of Saturday morning. It appears that this incident has taken place on the way to the taxi rank, which was recently moved to "The Wharf" area against the wishes and advice of local cab driver, the public and other interested parties. The new rank has a number of difficulties, such as poor lighting and a very narrow entrance from the Market Place, which effectively tunnels groups of people into the Wharf and confines a lot of people into such a small area.

As a matter of urgency, I think we need to see the reports that were done before moving the rank to establish what risks were identified, what actions were put into place to prevent incidents taking place and what advice the council received from the Police on the matter. With regards to reports that this area of Newbury Town Centre is not covered by CCTV, if that is the case the rank needs to go back to the Market Place immediately until CCTV is in place. The police and the council have a responsibility to protect the public, and by sending people into a dark, unmonitored area of the town centre, there are all sorts of potential outcomes that we just do not want to think about."

On a separate issue, Mr Garvie also hit out at police for targeting taxi drivers during a 5pm protest yet seemingly failing to patrol the new taxi rank. "It just doesn't make sense to me, and I'm sure others will feel the same. Why send ten officers to monitor a peaceful protest from taxi drivers yet not cover an already identified risk area? Were officers taken away from the early hours to provide cover the previous afternoon? These are pretty serious questions that I'm sure will be thought by everyone else".

Newbury Labour Party fully support local taxi drivers in their efforts to move the main taxi rank back into the Market Place. Labour Spokesman Richard Garvie also asked numerous questions about taxi arrangements prior to the local elections in May 2011, leading to provision of a Market Place rank being included within the Labour Party manifesto.

To me it looks like Newbury Retail Association (in the link below) and the Labour Party (in this thread) are using a stabbing reportedly outside the Hogshead in the Market Place to further their causes and/or get their names in the paper.

http://www.newburytoday.co.uk/News/Article.aspx?articleID=18360

Quoted from user23.3

To me it looks like Newbury Retail Association (in the link below) and the Labour Party (in this thread) are using a stabbing reportedly outside the Hogshead in the Market Place to further their causes and/or get their names in the paper.

To me, it looks like you are using this story to try and shame the NRA and NLP.

Quoted from user23.3

To me it looks like Newbury Retail Association (in the link below) and the Labour Party (in this thread) are using a stabbing reportedly outside the Hogshead in the Market Place to further their causes and/or get their names in the paper.

http://www.newburytoday.co.uk/News/Article.aspx?articleID=18360

Well user23, I suppose you are correct. But can you see any logical reason for the taxi rank to be banished to the Wharf outside the pedestrianised hours?

Your beloved superiors have decided it would be nice to have a clear area in the Market Place to encourage the alfresco trade for next summer.

We will never know if the stabbings would have taken place if the taxi rank had remained in the Market Place. What we do know is that once again you are trying to deflect attention away from irrational decisions taken by your employers.

Quoted from Greenham Common

To me, it looks like you are using this story to try and shame the NRA and NLP.

To you not think it a tad shameful that some seem to be trying to get free publicity on the back of this incident?

Quoted from BrianB

Well user23, I suppose you are correct. But can you see any logical reason for the taxi rank to be banished to the Wharf outside the pedestrianised hours?

Your beloved superiors have decided it would be nice to have a clear area in the Market Place to encourage the alfresco trade for next summer.

We will never know if the stabbings would have taken place if the taxi rank had remained in the Market Place. What we do know is that once again you are trying to deflect attention away from irrational decisions taken by your employers.

I'm not trying to deflect attention, I just think it's not the wisest of moves for the Newbury Retail Association and the Labour Party to be promoting their views on the taxi rank, on the back of two stabbings reportedly in the Market Place.

Quoted from user23.3

To me it looks like Newbury Retail Association (in the link below) and the Labour Party (in this thread) are using a stabbing reportedly outside the Hogshead in the Market Place to further their causes and/or get their names in the paper.

http://www.newburytoday.co.uk/News/Article.aspx?articleID=18360

Try reading that NWN internet news post again. The NRA spokesman, didn't comment on the story other than to state what happened....
quote
According to Brian Burgess, chairman of Newbury Retail association, Wharf Street in Newbury was cordoned off this morning after two people were taken to hospital, following a stabbing near the Hogs Head public house.
unquote
So, how is that furthering his own cause. Getting his name in the paper is a fairly mute point as one would suspect that the NWN had no idea what had happened and asked the person most likely to know what was happening in the town.

Nice deflection though, you're getting really good at it.

Quoted from brian

Try reading that NWN internet news post again. The NRA spokesman, didn't comment on the story other than to state what happened....
quote
According to Brian Burgess, chairman of Newbury Retail association, Wharf Street in Newbury was cordoned off this morning after two people were taken to hospital, following a stabbing near the Hogs Head public house.
unquote
So, how is that furthering his own cause. Getting his name in the paper is a fairly mute point as one would suspect that the NWN had no idea what had happened and asked the person most likely to know what was happening in the town.

Nice deflection though, you're getting really good at it.

You miss the point.

Why's the spokesman commenting on this crime which doesn't seem connected to retail at all, if not to get some free publicity?

I'll not comment on it more as I feel I've made my point. I just find this sort of behaviour in bad taste, that's all.

User, I do not see how you can say that the Labour Party and the NRA are working together.

The NRA pointed this issue out as I stated well over 6+ monthd ago as did the taxi representative, the labour party was not present at this meeting, but WBC and 2 councillors were. The obvious was pointed out by everyone present, yet the WBC representative refused to see the obvious and look what has happened. We now have a problem which we did not have before becuase WBC refused to accept the obvious.

This is not point scoring, people are getting injured and it is easy to resolve, put taxis's back into the market place. If they wait for 6 months how many more people will get injured and lest you forget New Years Eve falls before the 6 month possible review, what problems could we have on that night.  

Quoted from I am Spartacus

User, I do not see how you can say that the Labour Party and the NRA are working together.

I haven't, however you've made a connection between a decision and an incident without any evidence to support the connection between the two.

What doesn't seem to have been mentioned so far is that there's been a taxi rank in the Wharf for years.

You are so predictable User.

IAS - you are right. The risks were pointed out to the council. If it's true there is no CCTV in The Wharf, why ever not? This incident may not have happened at the rank, but by piling everyone through a narrow street into the cab rank is a recipe for disaster.

The rank must be moved back to Market Place as a matter of urgency, as it's a simple matter of public protection. Would you want your wife, mother or daughter going into the wharf alone if there was poor lighting and no CCTV at the same time the clubs kick out? That's why the council / police must act now.