More City centre bars and clubs are being asked to give financial backing to the Taxi Marshall scheme that has been making St Albans safer.

St Albans City and District Council has been helping to run the project designed to ensure people return home safely after a night out.

The Marshalls patrol taxi queues in St Peter’s Street and Batchwood Hall to stop them becoming flashpoints for alcohol-fuelled anti-social behaviour.

Many local businesses may benefit from the measure which is intended to keep St Albans as a safe and pleasant place for an evening out.

CCTV operators have recorded the Marshalls stepping in to quell potential trouble on numerous occasions.

Late-night licensed premises have been invited to contribute to the running costs, but not all have chipped in.

Among those who have contributed are The Blacksmiths Arms, Club Veeda, The Slug and Lettuce, The Boot, Club Batchwood, Havana and The Waterend Barn.

The annual charge is £2.50 per head, based on the venue’s maximum capacity. So, a pub with a 100-person capacity would be asked for £250.

Hertfordshire County Council, Oaklands College and the University of Hertfordshire have also given the scheme financial support.

Now the District Council is inviting all other late-night licensed businesses in the area to follow their example and share the cost.

Councillor Anthony Rowlands, chair of the Local Services Scrutiny Committee for St Albans City and District Council said: “The businesses that have made a financial contribution are to be congratulated.

“They have faced up to their responsibilities to help ensure their customers can get home safely after a good night out.

“We are now giving other late-night licensed premises a nudge to do their bit. We are not asking for a great deal of money, so we are hoping for a good response.”

The Taxi Marshall system was first introduced in St Albans City centre in 2005 and at Batchwood Hall in 2009. Other areas of the county have since taken it up.

Taxi Marshalls have no formal powers, but are provided with two-way radios linked to the police and the CCTV control room. They wear high-visibility jackets and are licensed and regulated by the Security Industry Authority.

The Marshalls have been trained in many aspects of crowd control such as defusing aggression.

Among the aims of the scheme are to reduce alcohol related crimes, increase people’s sense of safety, promote the night-time economy and protect taxi drivers.