Taxi Marshals to Return to Salisbury to Help Keep Nightlife Safe

The initiative, funded by the Wiltshire Police and Crime Commissioner's Office, will begin later this month and continue until March 2027. The scheme will coincide with England's World Cup match against Panama and will operate during busy night-time periods.

Trained marshals will be stationed at key taxi ranks and busy nightlife areas across Salisbury and Swindon, assisting people in accessing taxis safely, managing queues and helping to prevent incidents from escalating.

In Salisbury, security staff from AEC Protection will be based at the New Canal taxi rank on Friday and Saturday nights between 10pm and 4am.

Wiltshire Police say these locations are among the busiest areas in the city centre during peak hours, when large numbers of people are leaving pubs, bars and other venues.

Wiltshire Police and Crime Commissioner Philip Wilkinson said the scheme is designed to make nights out safer for everyone, particularly women and girls.

"This scheme is about prevention as much as response. Everyone should be able to enjoy a night out and get home safely without fear," he said.

"Taxi marshals provide a visible and reassuring presence at some of the busiest points in our town and city centres at night, helping people access transport safely and reducing the risk of incidents.

"By having trained personnel on hand to manage situations early, support those who may be vulnerable and work alongside police and local partners, we can make a real difference to safety in our night-time economy, particularly in tackling violence against women and girls."

The service will operate during peak night-time hours when demand for transport is highest and the risk of incidents increases.

Data collected during a six-month trial in Swindon found that crime levels in areas covered by taxi marshals would have been 52 per cent higher without their presence.

Additional marshals may also be deployed during major events and if England progress beyond the group stages of the World Cup, when increased numbers of people are expected to visit town and city centres.

Residents and visitors are being encouraged to make use of the service and continue enjoying Salisbury's night-time economy safely.