Stratford cabbies facing more punctures after nails found on taxi rank
THE taxi tyre attacks are back.
Stratford cabbies were subjected to a number of mystery homemade spike devices on Bridge Street last July causing hundreds of pounds worth of damage in burst tyres and loss of earnings but of greater concern to them was the risk posed to the safety of passengers if a slow puncture suddenly burst mid-journey. No one was prosecuted for the offences.
Within the last few weeks nails have been found on the taxi rank at Stratford Railway Station causing seven punctures in ten days and resulting in five new tyres for Andrew Wright, owner of Othello Taxis in Stratford.
“This is a serious issue which could lead to a bad accident,” said Mr Wright. “If a driver had to take a fare to Alcester or Banbury a tyre with a nail in it could burst at any time. Whoever is doing this is doing it under the cover of darkness. A friend and I went down to the rank at the station with brooms and magnets and swept the area and yet the nails were back the next day. The nails look like the same ones used last time and they’re quite distinct. It’s also expensive as a new tyre can cost anything between £50 to £100. On Tuesday morning another 15 nails were picked up by a taxi driver. I’ve reported this issue to the police on the 101 number.”
Mr Wright has also made enquiries about the possibility of obtaining CCTV from the railway station which is run by West Midlands Railway who also own the taxi rank.
A West Midlands Railway spokesperson said:
“We are concerned to hear these reports and we have asked staff to remain vigilant. We will also work with the police as appropriate.”
