Taxi Driver Online

Taxi drivers face 'total nightmare' over £450 CCTV they were 'forced' to install


TAXI drivers say the CCTV systems they have been ‘forced’ to install in their cars are invalidating their insurance and running down the vehicles’ batteries.

Some cabbies even fear the wiring has made their cars unsafe.

Warrington Borough Council ordered every taxi driver in town to fit CCTV in their vehicle to protect drivers and passengers.

Three companies were selected by the council to do the work and each driver had to pay £450 for the equipment to be installed.

But one driver, who asked not to be named, said: “This is draining the batteries because the CCTV is still running after the engine has stopped. It’s a total nightmare.

“Some drivers are having insurance problems due to the fact the car has been modified, meaning they can only get third party insurance. And potentially we are now all driving cars with electrical problems.

“The council forced this on around 700 cars without due diligence.”

Cabbies also say the cameras can easily be blocked by lowering the sun visor and another taxi driver added: “Many drivers want CCTV however there have been failures in the implementation from the start.

“As a trade we are helpless to do anything. As a diligent driver with my passengers’ safety in mind I would disconnect the system and get it checked, however I would be suspended immediately if I was to do this. Our licence conditions say it must be working all the time.”

A council spokesman said the matter is currently under review but declined to comment further.

The Information Commissioners Office is also looking into claims the system breaches data protection.

A spokesman from the ICO said: “The Data Protection Act protects the public by setting out rules that personal data must be handled fairly and lawfully. We have ongoing discussions with Warrington Council about its use of CCTV in taxis.”

The council was one of the first in the country to introduce CCTV in taxis and the plans were launched in June 2016 following a public consultation.

It was hoped the system would prevent drivers from verbal abuse and assault as well as helping to provide evidence for any crimes that may take place inside taxis.

source: http://www.warringtonguardian.co.uk/new ... /?ref=fbpg

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

Sefton had CCTV passed in 1999 and so did Liverpool..if you want it you can have it..

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Justice for the 96. It has only taken 27 years...........repeat the same lies for 27 years and the truth sounds strange to people!

A lad round here has had it installed in 3 of his cars at a cost of £1300 per car. His insurance has gone down by £400 per car per year. He's had zero problems.

Similar here.

Westminster or whatever they are called now gives 20% off for certain systems.

Over the years drivers have saved far in excess of what they paid for the CCTV in the first place.

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IDFIMH

Nonsense.

The over run is put in place to cover the times following an accident/incident which shuts the ignition off.

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IDFIMH

wondering how many systems have been properly installed

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

Or how many have been sabotaged by drivers with something to hide.

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IDFIMH

This

Council to 'carry out checks' to ensure taxi CCTV issues 'are resolved'


WARRINGTON Borough Council (WBC) will 'carry out checks' on CCTV systems installed in the borough's taxis to 'ensure any issues are resolved'.
Some cabbies have slammed the council's decision to fit CCTV in their vehicles to improve protection.

Three companies were selected to carry out the work, with each driver having to pay £450 for the equipment to be installed.

Council chief executive Steven Broomhead confirmed the authority has 'contacted' the firms.

He added: "WBC has only received a small number of complaints and they are currently under investigation.

"The council will carry out checks to ensure that any issues are resolved.

"We acknowledge the support of drivers in introducing CCTV and in protecting the public."

http://www.warringtonguardian.co.uk/new ... resolved_/

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