Taxi Driver Online

Tough taxi rules to protect passengers

TOUGH new rules will ensure people convicted of serious sexual or violent offences are prevented from driving taxis.

Basildon Council’s Licensing Committee will consider stricter guidelines surrounding who should be denied a taxi licence tomorrow.

These will make sure drivers with a conviction for rape, sex assaults, or sexual offences involving children, are barred.

Applications will also not be considered for at least three years after convictions for lesser sexual offences, including indecent exposure and kerb-crawling.

The aim is to protect passengers in the district and it has been welcomed by cab drivers around the town. Steve Foster, who owns Basildon company A & B Taxis, said: “People should be stopped from driving taxis if they’ve committed a serious enough offence.

“I’m sure my daughter wouldn’t want a convicted murderer driving her around in the middle of the night.”

The new rules are more specific than previous regulations.

Licences will be denied to drivers with convictions for murder, manslaughter, or terrorism offences.

Applicants will be barred for three years after conviction for possession of a dangerous weapon.

However, the rules appear to have been relaxed over drink-driving offences.

Long-term Basildon cabbie Ralph Morgan, 67, added: “I actually think they should be harder on people convicted of drink-driving.

“These new rules are all very sensible, so long as they are properly enforced. The council hasn’t been very good at doing that in the past, because it’s licensing department is too short-staffed.”

Under the new regulations drivers can still apply to drive taxis after a first conviction for drink-driving.

However, it states: “More than one conviction for these offences raises significant doubts as to the applicant’s fitness to drive the public. At least three years after the restoration of the driving licence following a second drink-drive conviction should elapse before an application will be considered.”

Under the previous rules, drivers had to wait at least three years after their first drink-driving conviction before applying.

http://www.echo-news.co.uk/news/8797322 ... assengers/

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

Sounds a bit fettered discretion-ish, thus a field day for human rights lawyers?

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Caledonian Cabbie

my next passenger could be a convicted murderer, i wouldnt know would i.....

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Of all the things ive lost, i miss my mind the most

So it should fettered. Personally I think child molesters should be shot!!

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Note to self: Just because it pops into my head does NOT mean it should come out of my mouth!!

ive been badged in three LAs now, each LA makes up its own mind and decides upon reciept of the enhanced CRB

they can make the rules, i always understood anything involving firearms, drugs and sex meant no badge


(though a bloody good night out in some places)

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Of all the things ive lost, i miss my mind the most

New taxi driver rules delayed over wording

7:00am Sunday 23rd January 2011

Changes to licensing rules making it tougher to become a taxi driver have been delayed.

Members of the Licensing Committee at Basildon Council took the step of deferring a move which would have meant people who had been convicted of serious offences would be barred from ever becoming a cab driver.

Proposals had been drafted with crimes seperated into three categories, depending on the severity of the offence. But councillors were not happy about some offences being seperated from similar crimes which were racially aggrivated, as it was felt they were as bad as each other.

Convictions for common assault, criminal damage and public order offences were put in category C, meaning anyone applying to become a taxi driver would have to wait three years before they could be considered.

Racially-aggravated versions of the same offences were put in category B, meaning drivers convicted would have to wait seven years.

David Abrahall, chairman of the committee, was unhappy the offences had been split into two categories.

Mr Abrahall: “I know we are trying to tie in with taxi and Hackney Carriage advice from London, but I do not agree with this wording and the difference between common assualt and criminal damage, and racially-aggravated versions of the crimes.

“You cannot say because something is racially aggrivated that it is more important or worse than something that is not, because it is still a bad crime.”

It was agreed by the committee the proposals needed to be reworded so the offences of common assault, criminal damge and public order offences, whether racially aggrivated or not, are in the same category.

The committee deferred the decision until March 23.

Source; http://www.echo-news.co.uk/news/8806493 ... r_wording/

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Kind regards,

Brummie Cabbie.

Type a message, post your news,
Disagree with other members' views;
But please, do have some decorum,
When debating on the TDO Forum.

At least they are making an effort to define what they will allow,and how long before you can be considered before possibly being granted a licence if you do something wrong, unlike most councils

fettering discretion dont get a look in anymore.

CC

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

I got my hands on a perverts CRB papers and licence application who'd been given a badge, I can't divulge how I got them but this is the story the local press ran when I shown them the CRB and HC licence papers.

Licence for a sex offender
Published on Thu Jul 29 11:17:02 BST 2004

A CONTROVERSIAL decision to grant a taxi driver's licence to a local man who has convictions for gross indecency with children has sparked outrage among other drivers.


The row has erupted after it emerged that the man has a criminal record of more than 20 convictions — including three for indecency with boys and girls.


Mansfield District Council chiefs this week insisted they had been powerless to refuse his licence request because the law states that they have to ignore sexual offences committed five years before the application — and the man was convicted of his last offence in 1996.


Now anxious licensing bosses are to review their policies and it is understood they are trying to rush through a change of their rules at a special meeting next week.


If they get the go-ahead, it would mean any applicant who has criminal convictions for sexual offences must appear before a licensing panel — which would then decide whether or not to grant the licence.


And current taxi drivers with any convictions would also find themselves before the panel, meaning councillors could ultimately withdraw licences.


Mansfield MP Alan Meale has already described the issue as 'very serious' and has warned there is always a risk that people with such convictions may reoffend.


"I'm in favour of where a crime has been committed they should be rehabilitated," he told Chad. "However, there are certain crimes that have been committed where it's not sensible to put the offender to the forefront of public services. It does not help them or the public."


He said he could raise the case in Parliament and call for a change to the law if Mansfield council ran into legal problems by turning down the licensing request.


His comments have been backed by Glen Borrill, of the Mansfield Taxi Branch of the Transport and General Workers' Union, who said he was dismayed that the licence had been granted.


"It's a totally unsuitable profession for someone accused of that kind of thing," he said. "Whatever he has done, this is not the trade to be rehabilitated in."


ACE ABC taxi driver Nigel Marchant said people in the trade 'went crazy' when they found out about the council's decision to grant the licence.


"The people I work with went ballistic," he said. "How has he got a badge? It makes a mockery of the Criminal Record Bureau checks.


"It's costing us 33 for checks for the safety of the public to make sure we are safe to drive and he has a list of convictions, including gross indecency with children, and he's been granted a licence."


In a report to next week's committee meeting, councillors will be told that the high-profile inquiry into the tragic events at Soham and other Crown Court decisions have forced the council to review its procedures.


In a recent court case, Manchester City Council was criticised for granting a licence to a Hackney Carriage driver who had convictions for kerb crawling and assaulting a teenage girl.


This week council licensing manager Chris Rowlston told Chad: "The council's first priority is for the safety of the travelling public of Mansfield District and any future change in policy will be adopted with this in mind."

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Do not argue with an idiot. He will drag you down to his level and beat you with experience.

Believe me, don't get Mercury X2

They are having a rethink.

http://www.echo-news.co.uk/news/8806493 ... r_wording/

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IDFIMH

This is part of the problem we all have, elected people who have no f***ing idea.

Racially aggravated issues are treated more seriously by the police, the courts and just about anyone.

But this clueless tw** can't understand it.

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IDFIMH

Probably the same up and down the country, but here in Basildon, we are governed by a bunch of Councillors that are making day to day decisions about our trade, unfortunately half of our Licensing Team dont know the difference between Private Hire and Hackney Carriage!!!

Put that alongside most of the trade and all of our punters.

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IDFIMH