Coventry taxis could be forced to install CCTV systemshttps://www.coventrytelegraph.net/news/ ... l-32035887Mandatory CCTV was looked at before but was not supportedCoventry taxi drivers could be made to have CCTV cameras installed in their cars and cabs. The city council said it is going to look into whether it should require taxis to have CCTV as part of licensing requirements.
Currently it is only on a voluntary basis if taxis in operation across the city have CCTV cameras. But the council says it wants to re-look at it again.
It comes after taxi driver Abdul Wahab was jailed after he picked up a woman to take her home after a night out in the city. During the journey, the 47-year-old stopped the taxi, got into the back of the car, and sexually assaulted her.
Back in January, he was sentenced to three years in jail and also placed on the Sex Offenders Register. A council communities and neighbourhoods scrutiny board paper asks for a task and finish group on CCTV in taxis to be set-up.
"Mandatory CCTV has been considered previously by way of a Cabinet Member report in 2022, where a 12-week consultation was undertaken, where 67.9% of respondents did not support the proposal," the paper explains.
"Voluntary CCTV is currently a policy requirement. There are strict requirements in terms of data protection, and drivers that voluntarily install CCTV have to register with the ICO (Information Commissioners Office) as they are the ‘data controller’
"In January 2025 a taxi driver from Coventry was jailed for sexually assaulting a woman in the back of his cab in December 2022.
"The task and finish group would consider several factors regarding the mandatory use of CCTV in licensed taxis, including national legislation, guidance, current policy, crime data, local comparators, costs and anything else which would come within the scope of the investigation."
The communities and neighbourhoods scrutiny board will meet on July 17 to discuss setting up the group.
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