Fall in bogus taxi sex assaults

The mayor has pledged all minicab drivers will be licensed by 2005

The number of woman being raped and sexually assaulted by bogus minicab drivers in London has fallen, the mayor has announced.

Despite the reduction, a new advertising campaign reminding women of the dangers of getting into unlicensed minicabs was launched on Wednesday.

The scheme is part of Safer Travel at Night (STAN), launched two years ago, to help reduce the number of attacks.

In 2002 214 women were assaulted compared with 140 over the last year.

Speaking at the launch Mayor of London Ken Livingstone said: "For the second year we have seen a significant reduction in attacks on women in illegal minicabs, which shows that if we increase safe choices for women they will use them, but we should not be complacent.

"It is vital that we continue work to eradicate illegal taxi cabs from London and keep improving late night travel."

Since STAN was launched in October 2002 more night buses have been introduced and taxi touting has become a recordable offence.

A police unit targeting crime on buses and in minicabs was also set up.

Future initiatives include all buses fitted with CCTV by the end of 2005, all minicab operators and drivers licensed by spring 2005 and 1,000 extra police officers working on the transport network and a further 200 extra officers by March 2005.