KEMPSEY’S taxi drivers have banned the pick-up and drop off of fares from one of the town’s most notorious streets, Gordon Nixon Ave, after a driver was allegedly shot at during an attempted robbery.
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The drivers held a meeting yesterday attended by representatives of the police, Kempsey Shire Council and Member for Oxley Melinda Pavey.
The driver at the centre of the drama was at the meeting where he calmly recounted the story of his encounter with the armed bandit, who lured him to the street with a call for a pick-up.
“He shot out the back window before approaching the driver’s side window, which I had wound down to get some fresh air,” the driver said.
“I was determined he wasn’t going to get the money, there was no way I was giving it up.
“I know a bit about guns and it was a single shot weapon and he had fired one shot.
“He hit me in the face as I reversed.”
The driver said he had already been approached by a member of the public who told him they would find out who had tried to rob him.
“I was at the taxi rank this morning and a bloke came up to me and said he knew the first name of the robber and he would find out his surname.”
Kempsey Radio Taxis boss Jeff Saunders said it was a shame that it had come to this but the drivers had to make a stand for their own safety.
“Unfortunately it’s our good loyal customers who live around there who will suffer but we decided to take this action for the safety of the drivers,” Mr Saunders said.
“Until the gunman is caught we won’t be going to Gordon Nixon Ave.
“It’s not right that we have a street that looks like Lebanon after the civil war, this is Australia.
“We should be able to do better.”
Mr Saunders said Kempsey already had a driver shortage and this would not help.
“We are probably about three or four drivers short, because nobody wants to do the night shift,” he said.
“There is also another organisation in town that is looking for drivers but can’t find them.”
One of the problems the drivers anticipate from the Gordon Nixon Ave boycott is taking hospital patients home late at night.
“We often get called at 2am to take someone home from the hospital who might be elderly or injured or in a wheelchair so the drivers try and do the right thing and take them home,” Mr Saunders said.
“But this will not be able to continue with the current situation.”
