Council agrees on policy for late night workers to get taxi home
- Published
Newcastle city councillors agreed to develop a plan which could see late-night workers being given a lift home
Free transport could be offered to late-night staff in Newcastle after the council agreed to protect workers.
The city council wants to develop a policy which would mean new late-night licences were dependant on venues providing transport for staff.
It is aimed at protecting those who cannot afford a taxi fare from potential harassment and violence.
Council leader Nick Kemp said sexual assault was "sadly all-too common" for night-time workers.
He wants to ensure venues help their employees get home safely after their shifts and said the council would actively encourage all employers in the city to commit to the safe travel offer.
Lesley Storey spoke of her experiences of harassment and sexual assaults
Councillor Lesley Storey, cabinet member for public safety, said she was "sickened and broken" by the death of Zara Eleena, who was killed on her way home from a night out in east London in June.
She recalled her experiences of harassment and sexual assaults and said her entire life had "been lived in the shadow of the fear of what could happen to me".
The Local Democracy Reporting Service said the council also pledged to call for improvements to late-night public transport provision and help employers with funds from the government's Safety of Women at Night Fund to supply taxis.
Kim McGuinness said employers in Newcastle had to "step up" to ensure the safety of workers
Northumbria's Police and Crime Commissioner, Kim McGuinness, said: "An employer's duty of care doesn't just stop when someone clocks off. No employee should have to worry about walking home alone in the dark.
"No employee should have to worry about scraping enough money together to get home just because their shift finishes when the buses have stopped or their salary just isn't enough to cover a taxi.
"Our city's employers have to step up with this. They have to take responsibility."
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