Member Article

Recognition For Taxi Firm Hailed As Fourth Emergency Service In Manchester

Street Cars Manchester is celebrating after scooping the prestigious Gold Community Award in the Professional Driver Magazine Awards. The firm also collected a second special accolade on behalf of the north-western taxi and private hire trade, which recognised the efforts made to help injured and stranded people after the terrorist attack at the MEN Arena earlier this year.

The national awards for the private hire, taxi and chauffeur sector, recognised how the firm went above and beyond on the night of the 22nd May. Following the attack, which affected people attending the Ariana Grande concert, hundreds of concert-goers – many of them young people – were left stranded in an unfamiliar city as the venue was cleared and the transport networks were locked down.

In response to this, Street Cars’ boss Sameer Arshad asked all of his drivers to help anyone affected and his team turned off their meters and worked tirelessly through the night ferrying people to their homes and the hospital.

On the win Sameer Arshad, said; “I am humbled to have received such recognition for the help we gave on the night of the MEN terrorist attack. We simply did what anyone else would have done. I heard the news and immediately told my drivers, this is our city and we need to help. At the end of the day, money isn’t everything and so we did what we could.

“I love this city and feel very passionate about helping people – when the worst happens, we have to pull together as a community and so we were happy to be in a position to help. I’m very proud of all of my drivers, everyone chipped in and worked incredibly hard.”

Professional Driver Editor Mark Bursa said: “Street Cars’ exceptional attitude to its customers in Manchester city runs through every part of its business. It provided free taxis to voters on election day. It pays for food at the local mosque during Ramadan, while remaining the go-to taxi firm for Manchester’s LBGT community.”

Mark Bursa continued: “It manages to support both the city’s premier league football teams - as well as local youth team Athletico Failsworth. It helps out with charities and provides work placements for local young people. And of course, it played a leading role in helping people get home after the attack at the MEN, with drivers working through the night, free of charge, to get people home safely.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Claire@clairedavispr.co.uk .