Taxi Driver Online

Points-based system to clamp down on rogue taxi drivers in Derby has been approved


A points-based system will be introduced in a bid to clamp down on rogue taxi drivers in Derby.

The move is aimed at protecting people, including children, following the revelation of child abuse in taxis in Rotherham in South Yorkshire.

The decision was made at a council meeting last night after a public consultation that ended a few weeks ago. The new regulations are due to be introduced on June 30 next year.

The review was carried out after a damning report was published stating failings in Derby City Council's taxi licensing system that led to rogue cabbies committing "hate crime, harassment, intimidation" and making improper comments to young women" to gain badges.

Currently, licensing decisions are made by the taxi licensing sub-committee. The new system will see powers taken away from members and put into the hand of council officers using a points-based system. Criminal convictions for the most severe crimes including rape and murder will trigger an automatic lifetime disqualification.

Other lesser crimes will accrue points on a sliding scale. Assault of a police officer, for example, would mean instant refusal for an applicant if it happened less than four years ago. But it would mean six points if committed five years ago, then five points for six years ago, four for seven years ago, and so on.

Any applicant or existing driver who gets "above 12 points" would be disqualified. The alternative change would have seen council officers operate committees similar to the ones currently run by councillors. Councillor Baggy Shanker, responsible for taxi licensing in the city and has campaigned in favour of bringing in the points system, said: "It's great news for Derby residents that the council has approved the points-based system.

"This will further improve our robustness and provide extra protection for the public and enhance the professionalism of the many fit and proper drivers in the city by providing a fair, transparent and consistent process."

Mr Shaker also said he was committed to "dealing with the issue of drivers and vehicles who are licensed from other areas". The Derby Telegraph revealed that more than 1,300 of the city's 2,800 cabbies were licensed with other authorities, with Gedling in Nottinghamshire and Rossendale in South Yorkshire councils that had licensed a particularly high number of Derby drivers.

Read more at http://www.derbytelegraph.co.uk/points- ... F3UXFED.99

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

what a council that doesn't have a points system already and believes they work

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lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector