EXTRA taxi marshals will be used this Christmas to ensure a safe festive season in the city centre.

The Safer Bristol Partnership are bringing in extra numbers for the busy Friday and Saturday nights from this week until the new year.

As well as the existing marshals, there will be two new taxi marshals working at the rank outside the Hippodrome theatre and a team of street marshals on Park Street, who will wear high-visibility uniforms.

The marshals make sure revellers wait in an orderly way. They also give priority to vulnerable people and ensure people are fit to travel.

Keith Rundle, neighbourhood police inspector for Cabot and Clifton, said: "We all want people to enjoy their Christmas and New Year celebrations and by helping people to get home safely, and to stop others from behaving in an antisocial manner.

"The taxi, bus and street marshal schemes make a real contribution."

Bristol was recently awarded a Purple Flag for having a well-managed and vibrant city centre.

City Councillor Gary Hopkins, cabinet member for targeted improvement, said: "Our taxi marshal schemes have been a major success in ensuring that the public get safely home.

"They are also popular with taxi drivers as they can check people to stop those who are being disorderly from getting in a cab. This area is vibrant and busy, and in the early hours can get very congested. There have been some incidents of antisocial and violent behaviour in the past but since the taxi marshal scheme and street marshal schemes started, there has been a marked reduction."