Wellingborough revellers offered cheap taxi fares
Published Date: 06 December 2008
By Staff Copy
A nightclub has teamed up with a taxi firm to offer discounted rides and reduce the risks of drink-driving at Christmas.
People going to or from Bar Life in Sheep Street, Wellingborough, can get £2 off their taxi fare if they travel with Lees Cabs.
The move is designed to discourage people from driving home drunk after a night out of festive partying.
More people are caught driving while over the limit in December than any other time of the year.
Bar Life general manager Leigh Elmore said: "It is very important to encourage people to come to the club by forms of public transport, including taxis, to discourage people from drinking and driving.
"At this time of year it is always a big focus for local police forces. It is important for us to join forces with local officers and help with this.
"We felt it was the right time and a really good thing to do."
And Steve Wright, from Lees Cabs, added: "We have done this so people do not have to take their cars out and risk drink-driving. It's a way to help the public.
"If people are caught drink-driving it can affect their life so much. They can lose their licence, their job, their ability to take families out, not to mention risking their lives. We have to think about people's safety as well. It is very important."
The promotion will be available on Friday and Saturday nights and give people £2 off at the door. Cabbies will be handing out discount vouchers to encourage people to call for a lift.
Bar Life is also taking other actions to limit drink-driving problems.
The club's designated driver scheme encourages those who a driving after a night out to have soft drinks.
There is a discount being offered on alcohol-free drinks and drivers also hand their keys in at the door.
Club staff are also wary about allowing vulnerable people to wait for taxis or lifts outside so people are allowed to stay in a safe place indoors while they call a taxi and wait until it arrives.
The initiative comes in the same week as the police launched its annual Christmas crack-down on drink-driving, which will include targeted patrols and roadshows in public car parks.
|