TAXI passengers may be asked to pay their fares up front as part of a police initiative to reduce crime.

Town centre police officers are encouraging taxi firms to ask for payments before the journey in a bid to prevent people running off without paying and to increase driver safety.

The moves comes after Blackburn with Darwen Hackney Carriage Association approached police as the number of customers refusing to pay increased.

Mohammed Younis, chair of Blackburn with Darwen Hackney Carriage Association, said: “We approached the police about this matter and they have included it on an agenda for a meeting next week.

“It’s a good idea because times are difficult at the minute due to the current economic climate and as a result more and more people refuse to pay after we have taken them to where they want to go.

“You prepay on a bus and trains so why not taxis?

"We would give an estimated cost and settle the full fair at the end of the journey.”

Town Centre Licensing Officer PC Andy Duxbury said: “We appreciate that this may come as a shock to some people in the beginning.

"However over a period of time will become the norm as customers get used to it.

“Taxi drivers provide a valuable service which a minority of people abuse.

"Hopefully this new cash up front policy in conjunction with extra taxi CCTV cameras that have been made available will be an added valuable tool in protecting drivers and reducing crime and disorder.”

Henry Arnold, manager of B & B Ltd, France St, Blackburn, agreed.

He said: “We have a GPS controlled system and we can work out advanced payments for journeys.

"We ask for advanced payments on long journeys.

“Prepaying is a good idea but how you enforce it is another matter.”

But a spokesperson from Silverline Private Hire, Darwen Street, Blackburn, said: “It is not something we have a problem with and for the sake of a small minority it’s not worth changing it for everyone else.”