REVELLERS have been urged to show taxi drivers respect as part of a major crackdown on violent night-time crime.

The cabbies often face troublesome customers late at night.

Taxi marshals will soon be at taxi ranks to try to make life safer and easier for the drivers.

The marshals will wear high-visibility jackets and work at town centre ranks from 9pm to 3am on Fridays and Saturdays from the middle of December. The marshals have not been given a formal start date.

This will be an initial three-month trial and comes with the launch of the Kirklees Bar Code Campaign targeting 16 to 24-year-olds in a bid to tackle alcohol-related violence.

Kirklees Council, the police and the taxi trade are all raising awareness of the valuable service taxi drivers provide, encouraging passengers to respect and value the work they do.

Leaflets and posters are being distributed in pubs and clubs warning people that violent and racist behaviour will not be tolerated.

Taxi drivers do not carry large amounts of cash and many cars are equipped with CCTV safety cameras.

Clr David Sheard, chairman of the council's Licensing Committee, said: "While this awareness campaign is being mounted in the run-up to the busiest time of the year for the taxi trade, this is an all-year-round effort to gain public support to respect taxi drivers and recognise the service they provide.

"As with all aspects of unruly and anti-social behaviour, it is a very small minority of people who cause the problem, often ending up spoiling a good night out by resorting to unacceptable and threatening behaviour against people simply doing their job and helping people get home safely.

"We also have a 'fast track' reporting system where drivers can quickly report unruly incidents through the licensing service and direct to a senior police officer.

"Safety measures for taxi drivers have developed considerably in recent years, but at the end of the day they are lone workers in a potentially vulnerable position, particularly late at night.

"The taxi trade in Kirklees provides an excellent service which is often taken for granted."

The taxi marshals will deal with the queues, spotting potential troublemakers.

Clr Khizar Iqbal, chairman of Kirklees Safer Communities Partnership, said: "Taxi marshals are skilled in crowd control and dealing with confrontation.

"They will be on hand to meet and greet people wanting a cab and to nip potential crime and disorder problems in the bud before they can escalate, making our town centre safer for all to enjoy."

The scheme is part of the wider Kirklees Bar Code campaign by Kirklees Safer Communities Partnership to tackle alcohol-related violent crime.

Chief Insp Jon Carter, Community Safety Co-ordinator for Kirklees, said: "The taxi marshal scheme will provide extra safety for people enjoying our town centre at night, provide public reassurance and help support crime reduction. The taxi marshals will also act as a 'third eye' for the police."

They will be based on Cross Church Street and outside the Ethos and Visage nightclubs at Folly Hall.

They will also move around to cover other parts of the town centre.