'Vital' street marshals in Chipping Sodbury saved after public campaign

  • Watch Ross Arnott's report here

Plans to cut a 'vital' street marshal service in South Gloucestershire have been scrapped after a public campaign.

Proposed budget cuts from South Gloucestershire Council would have seen the £18k a year taxi marshal service in both Kingswood High Street and Chipping Sodbury High Street stopped.

This was greeted with anger from residents, particularly in Chipping Sodbury where there has been a marshal presence for more than 14 years.

A local campaign was started by Gabby Davis, a local pub manager and the Chair of the Pub Watch group.

Within days her online petition had gathered around 1000 signatures. She says that on the budget papers the title taxi marshal did not fully describe just how much the individuals did on a night.

"The service they provide is so vital, not just for the residents but also for the business owners in the area," she said.

Local bar manager and Chair of the Pub Watch group Gabby Davis started a petition to save the service.

"They are described as taxi marshals which suggests that they are only in one place and monitor taxis but they actually do much more.

"They are there for a lot of different things like a first response for first aid and they are also checking on public amenities.

"The most crucial part though is that they are there for women's safety. They are always making checks and in the last few weeks alone have stopped people getting in unlicensed taxis and have helped individuals who have been targeted by drink spiking.

"As businesses outside of the city we are fortunate that we have a great night time economy and without the marshal service we would not be able to do that.

"The consequences of not having these marshals on the street could be big but you we won't know that until they are gone so I am pleased they will be staying."

One of the marshals who monitors Chipping Sodbury Hugh Street, John Scully, has actually been doing so for more than 14 years.

He told ITV News that he has stopped people being assaulted, prevented vulnerable people being targeted and at one stage even disarmed someone who had an imitation firearm.

"We are here just to monitor and make sure that there is no anti-social behaviour," he explained.

"We are here for anybody who needs us really. We make sure that people who look like they are vulnerable can get home safely and we try and make sure that there is a visible presence in the street.

John Scully has been a street marshal for more than 14 years.

"We can go a few weeks without any incidents here and then on one night we can see a few different things so you can never tell what sort of night it is going to be.

"In the last few weeks there have been a couple of incidents which we have prevented and I think the reaction from the public is that they appreciate what we do and the service we provide."

The service has now been extended for another 12 months but there is a hope that it will be prolonged even further to help protect more people in the future.