Grange becoming a 'no-go area' at night, says taxi-driver

Grange is becoming a “no-go area” at night for taxi-drivers.

That's according to a local taxi-driver, who said that he has stopped going into the estate at night after his car was egged by youths last night, the latest in a long line of incidents.

“It started at Halloween and continued for a few weeks, but has started back up again. The young lads up there are egging every taxi going in there. It's nearly a no-go area at this stage,” the taxi-driver told the Westmeath Examiner.

The taxi-driver, who asked that his name not be published, said that “it has got to the stage where I won't go in there at night time”.

“I took a chance last night after a friend said that he went in on Saturday and Sunday and it was okay, but I got egged. After that, I said that's me finished going into Grange at night time.

“Most fares up there are around a fiver and you won't wash your car for that, worse still it might not be an egg and could be a stone. Replacing a windscreen will cost hundreds and it's not worth it really,” he said.

While stressing that it is a small minority of Grange residents that are engaged in this anti-social behaviour, the taxi driver said that incidents have become so frequent that he has decided to stop doing runs into the estate.

“On New Year's night I got a call from someone who lives in Grange and wanted a lift out. I told him that I would bring him as far as Lidl. He said that he want to be dropped at his own house, but I said that I was sorry but that I wasn't prepared to do that. It's just not worth it.”

A Garda spokesperson said that anyone who witnesses or is the victim of anti-social behaviour should contact the station immediately. He also noted that incidents such as this are classified as criminal damage.