Cab drivers too afraid to work

UNDER attack . . . (front, from left) Mohammed Akbar (owner Oldham and Bardsley Cars) with Khizar Islam and fellow drivers

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A STRING of attacks on taxis are leaving cabbies too frightened to operate as yobs continue to hurl bricks, stones and even fireworks at their cars.

In the latest incident, a thug carrying a sledgehammer destroyed the windscreens and wing mirrors of six different taxis in Clarksfield.

Dangers
The news comes after the Chronicle reported last week how private hire firm Delta was reluctant to take evening fares in Moorside, Sholver and Derker.

Now, more taxi drivers have come forward to say they are experiencing the same dangers on Oldham's roads. They are calling on the police to act now before someone is seriously hurt. Driver Shakeel Zeb said he "feared for his life" after a firework was lit and fired at his car in Shaw.

Shakeel, a driver with Crompton and Royton Cars, said: "I had just dropped off my fare when some teenagers at High Crompton Park lit a firework and launched it at my car windscreen.

"I was terrified. I decided to stop working for the night after that because it seemed too dangerous on the roads.

"It's not the first time it's happened, I've had stones and eggs thrown at my car in Royton and Shaw recently."

The father-of-three returned home and parked his car on Brewerton Road, Clarksfield.

That night, while watching TV in his bedroom just before 3am, Shakeel heard a banging noise coming from outside.

"I looked out of my window and saw a man smashing up my car with a sledgehammer.

"I ran outside and saw that he'd smashed other taxis already."

Shakeel, a cabbie for 12 years, gave chase and ran the perpetrator into the path of the police, who were already in the area.

"I was scared for my life but I couldn't let him get away," Shakeel said.

"He had smashed up six taxis, he was clearly targeting taxis.

"He caused thousands of pounds worth of damage."

Shakeel said he was left with a bill to repair his windscreen and wing mirrors, but has been unable to work since the incident.

"It is not just the repairs, I've also lost four days of earnings as I've not been able to use the car.

"Something needs to be done as taxi drivers are suffering.

"We are working hard to earn a living but we can't because yobs and teenagers are targeting us.

"Drivers are considering stopping taking fares or even striking to highlight the dangers."

Premier Cars driver Khizar Islam had his rear windscreen smashed when a brick was thrown at his vehicle while driving on Shaw Road.

Khizar, who was shaken but uninjured in the incident, said: "It was really bad. I heard a big bang and the windscreen smashed. It was lucky I didn't have a passenger in the back because it could have been deadly."

He now faces a £400 bill to repair the windscreen but is concerned more about the dangers drivers are facing in the area.

"It has been happening regularly but it has got worse now it is darker earlier in the day," he added.

"It is the same thing every time, teenagers hide and wait for a car to go past and throw things at it. People are scared to drive in the area now because they know it is a risk.

"We contact the police but they never come to visit us. Something needs to be done soon to stop this happening."

Fellow drivers from other Oldham firms have joined Khizar and the owner of Premier Cars, Mohammed Akbar, to raise awareness of the dangerous conditions they are facing, with reports of attacks around Moorside, Derker, Sholver and on St Mary's Way.

Mohammed, who also owns Oldham and Bardsley Cars, said: "Every evening my drivers are having rocks, stones and eggs thrown at them. It is not safe but no-one is helping us.

"I'm considering stopping accepting fares in the area to protect my drivers, the cars and our passengers."

He also called on support from members of the public to help tackle the growing problem.

Mohammed added: "We would like to appeal to parents to check where their children are and what they are doing after school and in the evenings. It is putting people at risk and it needs to be stopped before it is to late and someone is seriously hurt."