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A Waddon mum is launching a new taxi firm where all the drivers - and most of the passengers - will be women.

Mum-of-one Sade Agboola will be running Annisa Cars from next month and hopes that the unique selling point will make female passengers feel safer.

The only passengers that the all-female team of drivers will accept are women or children.

She came up with the idea after hearing about “friends who are mums and feel uncomfortable using public transport or private hire firms” for themselves or their children.

Ms Agboola feels that with Uber set to not have its licence renewed by Transport for London, it’s the perfect time to set up a taxi company which will make the safety of female passengers its top priority.

The 35-year-old, of Old School Place, said: “Safety is still a big issue. I don’t feel it has been highlighted as much as much as it should when an offence happens [involving a taxi driver].

“It’s not taken seriously enough, women or children should never have to feel unsafe or uncomfortable because of a driver. It happens an awful lot but you never read about it unless you really look and it makes me think it’s being brushed under the carpet.”

Ms Agboola also feels many parents will prefer the option of her company than public transport for their kids.

She added: “I know so many friends who are single mums that work full-time across London and don’t feel it is safe for their children to be going to and from school without a guardian in a taxi or on a bus. It may mean they have to cut working hours or get a different job as there is no alternative.”

Annisa Cars will cater for bookings in Croydon, Sutton, Brixton and Streatham with the intention of covering the whole of south London by the end of next year.

Ms Agboola says if picking up children her drivers will make sure there is always a parent or guardian to meet them at their final destination.

All drivers will be CRB checked and have completed a health and safety course.

Parents will also have the option of booking guardians to accompany their children, through the firm.

This way if mums want the guardian to catch a bus with their child or walk with them to or from school, they have an option other than booking a cab.

It is envisaged that with most bookings where children are taken somewhere by taxi on their own that the parent will have met the driver beforehand.

And a booking slip system means that the person waiting for the child will give the driver a slip at the end of the journey so they know it’s the right person if not the child’s parent.

Ms Agboola, who part-time runs a charity that helps women with health issues, at Croydon University Hospital, added: “It is quite entrepreneurial but I never thought about it like that, I had the idea a couple of years ago and since December 2016 have been doing a lot of research and work to put it together.

“We will take children up to [the age of] 18.

“I have been amazed that no one else has thought of this idea before. Also a lot of mums have children and struggle to get back into work or find a job that gives them that flexibility and hopefully by having women-only drivers and guardians we can provide a flexible and supportive environment for them.

“Whether people choose to work with us full or part-time is up to them but we will be offering holiday pay for people working on a freelance basis so they know we support them.”

To find out more, visit http://annisacars.co.uk/ or call 0208 6869629.

*Are you setting up a business or do you have a story to tell? If so get in touch by calling reporter Luke Jarmyn on 07388 962968 or emailing luke.jarmyn@essnmedia.co.uk