Dozens of food delivery drivers in Britain have refused to work in London in the wake of a series of acid attacks.
Food delivery company Deliveroo said 71 employees have refused to deliver to parts of London over safety concerns, while seven have relocated to different areas entirely, The Independent reported.
On July 14, an acid attack rampage through London’s Hackney neighbourhood left five drivers injured in under two hours. A Deliveroo worker and an UberEats driver were among those injured. London police later said drivers were likely targeted so their mopeds could be stolen. Two teenagers were arrested.
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The UberEats driver, Jabed Hussein, told BBC News that his face felt like it was on fire after the attack.
“This shouldn’t be a job where your life should be put at risk,” he added.
Hussein said that he knows several drivers that don’t feel safe doing late-night deliveries anymore.
READ MORE: Spree of acid attacks in London alarming residents, politicians
Deliveroo issued a statement Thursday explaining new measures that they hope will protect workers.
The company said their app will feature an option to flag security concerns. It will also provide helmet cameras to drivers on a trial basis, and hire new personnel to focus on staff safety.
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“The safety of our riders is the most important thing to us, and it’s our responsibility as a company to step up our efforts so they can feel safe all of the time,” Deliveroo UK managing director Dan Warne said.
The new safety measures come after Deliveroo, which operates in several European countries, and UberEats drivers held a protest in July pushing for action on the issue.
Many of the demonstrators held up signs that read: “Acid attackers should be life sentenced,” and “Delivery drivers are at risk.”
READ MORE: Random acid attack in London leaves woman, cousin with severe burns
Attacks on drivers are part of a spate of high-profile attacks in London, including one in which a man is accused of throwing acid at an aspiring model and her cousin as they sat in their car. A 25-year-old man has been charged in that case.
London police say the number of reported attacks with corrosive liquids rose from 261 in 2015 to 454 in 2016.
— With files from the Associated Press
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