Willoughby Warns of Minicab Dangers

12.00.00am GMT Tue 19th Dec 2000

Cllr Laura Willoughby, the Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Islington North, has renewed her calls for local cab companies to sign up for the new cab registration as soon as possible. Her calls come after reports yesterday of a young woman being raped in Kensington by a rogue minicab driver. Cllr Willoughby said: "This attack is terrible news. It serves as a warning to everybody who will be using minicabs over Christmas and the New Year. "People should be careful to order minicabs from reputable operators. Unlicensed cabs are cowboys who are trading illegally and preying on unsuspecting customers. "This incident proves that until the drivers and the vehicles themselves are licensed, rogue attacks will continue. " Due to recent legislation, from January minicab operators and vehicles will have to become licensed. However, it could still take up to 2 years for the system to be operational. There are a large number of reputable cab firms in Islington that will benefit from the increased public confidence in their services