A new Downtown Safety Coalition is urging patrons of George Street and the capital city’s downtown to report any incidents of violence as soon as possible to police.

The Coalition was formed amid growing concerns about aggressive and violent behaviour in the George Street area.

Some musicians say they no longer feel safe leaving clubs.

Coalition spokesperson Don-E Coady says many believe the shortage of taxis in the downtown is playing a role.

He says people are getting frustrated having trouble getting out of the downtown because of a lack of available transportation. That, he says, is leading to greater concerns around safety in the downtown.

He says among the problems encountered is the fact that people are not reporting acts of violence, or not reporting them in a timely manner so that they’re logged, monitored and responded to by RNC.

If you see things that a safety-related, it’s your duty to report it when it’s happening, says Coady.

The coalition, involving representatives of Downtown St. John’s, the George Street Association, the city of St. John’s, Destination St. John’s, Hospitality NL, the RNC, Music NL and the provincial government, has plans to meet early in the new year to address some of the concerns raised.