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Arguments over taxi queues is causing Beverley town centre to descend into "chaos" on Saturday nights, it has been claimed. Two men crashed through a large window at fashion store Jaeger, opposite the taxi rank in the market place, leaving one needing hospital treatment last Saturday night. In another incident, a man was said to have ended up unconscious with a head injury after trying to get a taxi in Saturday Market. Now, Beverley Street Angels are asking East Riding Council to put up "taxi queue" signs, in a bid keep queuing orderly and stop people queue jumping. Street Angel Richard Bradbury, whose patrolling volunteers help keep revellers safe on Saturday nights, said the taxi ranks are a flashpoint for trouble. Mr Bradbury said: "If we get incidents, most of them tend to be in the taxi queue. “Part of the problem is the queue is not clearly designated and disputes happen. The council has a policy of not putting up signage that would disrupt the look and feel of Beverley. "On busy nights over Christmas and New Year the council puts out taxi marshals which is fantastic but because of the cost they can't do it all the time." Mr Bradbury said one man ended up unconscious, with a head injury, after trying to get a taxi outside Edinburgh Woollen Mill on Saturday night. Outside Jaeger, he understood two men may have been "play fighting" in the taxi queue when the shop window was smashed. Mr Bradbury, whose volunteers are trained in first aid and conflict management, said queue signs could help tackle disorderly queuing. He said: "Temporary signs, put out on a Saturday night designating where the taxi queue is, could solve a lot of the problems." East Riding Councillor Denis Healy, who has been on patrol with the Street Angels, now plans to ask the council to look at the possibility of signs. He said: "When I joined the Street Angels on patrol last month I witnessed a fight in the taxi rank which resulted in a guy getting arrested. "The taxi rank is often a flashpoint for trouble because of queue jumping. It's so disorderly. It's not the people's fault, they are not clear where to stand. A taxi will arrive, the queue might not move and someone will jump in. "The taxi drivers are not there to police it, they are there to get fares. There is chaos there, it's a big problem. "I think signs are something that could be done, although I think with the demeanour of people in the taxi rank, they might not necessarily obey signs because they're often fuelled up with alcohol. "But signs are better than nothing and I will raise it will council officers." Inspector Mark Coulthard, of Humberside Police, confirmed there were several incidents on a “busy" Saturday night in Beverley. Police officers logged the incident outside Jaeger at 2.49am. Insp Coulthard said: “It looks like a male has run at another male who was stood outside the window of Jaeger and both of them have gone through the window." He said a taxi driver had contacted the council to report another incident. There were also reports about abusive behaviour outside the Upper Crust takeaway and complaints about a drunken couple banging on doors in Morton Lane. Insp Coulthard said: “It was very much drink-fuelled behaviour. It was clearly quite busy and the people we dealt with were local to Beverley. “There are two flashpoints, outside the Upper Crust takeaway and the taxi rank because they are open late. “The key element is people are drinking too much alcohol. For whatever reason nowadays people seem to be much more aggressive and willing to have a go at each other. “My message is people should think about how much they drink and try to be considerate to other people. Certainly things like play-fighting can get out of hand." A spokesman for East Riding of Yorkshire Council said: "The taxi rank in Beverley is marked and any incidents of public order are a matter for the police." Comments are closed.
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