Taxi Driver Online

Taxi drivers in row over cost of removing heavily tinted windows from cabs

Enraged taxi drivers stormed out of a Dudley Council meeting - accusing the authority of 'crippling the trade' in a row over tinted windows.

There were angry exchanges as members of the council's Taxis Committee voted to continue a controversial policy over the use of heavily tinted glass.

The policy sets out how dark the windows in taxis should be. It now means the majority of drivers whose vehicles have tinted windows deemed too dark will be forced to either stop using these as taxis or replace the windows within three months.

Speaking on behalf of the drivers, including around 30 at the meeting on Tuesday, Shaz Saleem from Dudley Taxi Association said: "You are crippling the trade with this policy, a policy that is out-of-date."

The council's long-standing policy states that private hire and Hackney carriage vehicles must have at least 75 per cent of light passing through the front windscreen, 70 per cent through both front side facing windows, and 40 per cent through all other side facing windows.

Mr Saleem said: "With your policy at the moment it will restrict us from buying hi-spec cars, which these days are coming with as standard manufactured tinted windows. It is not by choice, they are coming like that."

He said the cost of replacing windows was hitting the trade of Dudley-based companies.

The policy was under review after tests conducted on behalf of the council mistakenly passed some cars with tinted windows last year, that have since failed this year.

Those few vehicles will be the only ones with windows darker than the guidelines allowed to remain in operation.

However this could change when a decision is made on whether to also install CCTV in the taxis, said committee chairman Councillor Richard Body.

The council's rules were also being looked at again following action taken by other authorities in the wake of child sexual abuse scandals involving taxi drivers elsewhere in the country, including notoriously in Rotherham.

Mr Saleem said: "One thing that separates Dudley from Rotherham is that we have an active association that not only works to protect the drivers, but our customers."

Angry taxi driver Naseer Ahmad shouted 'It's discrimination!' as the cabbies left the room, before the council voted to continue the policy.

Read more at http://www.expressandstar.com/news/2016 ... 6AKk1Lo.99

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

Poor show from the council IMO.

A very high percentage of new cars are coming with blacked out back windows.

If the council have an issue, and I've never read an article, ever, where tinted windows have led to an assault, then get the driver to have CCTV as well.

_________________
IDFIMH