UP TO 650 extra eyes and ears will be working to make the streets of York a safer place thanks to a ground-breaking new police scheme.

Taxi drivers and hackney plate owners are the latest recruits to the North Yorkshire Police drive to bring everyone together in the fight against crime.

They have been given telephone pagers on which they can pass on messages about everything from congestion and taxi queues, to road works and potential late-night trouble spots.

It is hoped that their presence on the streets 24 hours a day, every day of the year, will help police gather information about suspicious activity, while helping to safeguard drivers and passengers.

PC Howard Smelt-Webb said: "There are about 750 taxis in York and until now there has been no formal partnership between them and York police.

"The partnership we are launching today, to be known as Taxi-net, is all about promoting taxi driver safety, passenger safety, community safety, providing one key police contact point and to provide a forum through regular meetings for relevant issues to be discussed.

"It is unacceptable that drivers should be subjected to aggression, abuse or violence.

"It is hoped that this new partnership will help protect drivers, passengers and the wider community."

Judy Horwell, of York Taxi Association, said organisers had been working on the scheme for months and hoped it would improve communication between taxi drivers, the police and council bosses.

Jane Mowat, of the Safer York Partnership, said: "It is imperative that we protect these drivers who make such a massive contribution to the city and I welcome any move which broadens the community safety net further."

Updated: 10:19 Friday, November 26, 2004