Taxi Driver Online

oh look another rag pushing out the same old story

Rapists and dangerous drivers are among those who have applied to be taxi drivers in Bristol.

Among the previous convictions revealed through the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) for people applying for taxi licences were four rapes and 12 convictions for indecent assault.

The indecent assaults include crimes on four girls aged under 16, as well as one applicant who had been convicted of intercourse with a girl aged under 16.

One applicant had a previous conviction for causing death by dangerous driving, and another conviction for causing death by reckless driving was also revealed by the DBS.

All applicants for new or renewed hackney carriage or private hire licences must obtain a DBS check.

Bristol City Council said its checks are “one of the most stringent processes in the country” and that not everyone who applies is given a license.

There were also 16 convictions for dangerous driving, while there were 14 convictions for grievous bodily harm disclosed by the DBS between 2012/13 and 2015/16.

There were 102 convictions for drink driving and 224 for driving while disqualified committed by those applying to drive taxis in Bristol.

Bristol taxi driver tried to take cash from drunk woman who was sick in his car as compensation

Checks also found 14 convictions for driving without due care and attention.

A council spokesman said: “Just because someone applies for a DBS check, does not mean they will be given a licence to drive a taxi in Bristol.

"Bristol City Council is renowned to have one of the most stringent licence application processes for taxi drivers in the country. The council’s Fit and Proper Person Policy outlines the requirements needed for drivers to hold a licence including a robust convictions policy.

“All new drivers are currently required to complete an enhanced DBS check, alongside Gold Standard training, DVLA licence check, medical check, and completion of the knowledge test. Only if these standards are met will a driver be granted a licence.”

Applicants wanting to be taxi drivers also had 10 convictions for plying for hire without a hackney carriage licence, two for taxi touting and a conviction for driving a private hire vehicle without a licence.

A total of 940 applications from across the area between 2012/13 and 2015/16 were revealed to have previous convictions, out of 5,080 applications, with a total of 5,064 previous convictions, according to exclusive figures revealed following a Freedom of Information request.

One in six applications in 2015/16 from would-be taxi drivers revealed convictions or cautions (16.1%), this was down from 21.6% in 2012/13.

Separate figures previously revealed under the Freedom of Information Act show hundreds of drivers were issued a taxi licence despite criminal convictions between November 2014 and October 2015.

The figures do not show if applicants were given licences, as councils have discretion over whether to disregard previous offences.

Decisions are made by the licensing committee.

The figures are based on searching for the word "taxi driver" in the DBS system.

The same applicant may have submitted more than one application in the specified time period and results are based on the applicant’s address not the employer address.

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Taxis Are Public Transport too

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I'm surprised that Bristol had the evidence at hand, as the data is not theirs to keep or to forward.

Clearly a council must check a driver is fit and proper, but once they have allowed an application they have, IMO, no powers to keep that data, as it's not theirs to keep.

And they certainly shouldn't be passing it on.

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IDFIMH

especially not to unscrupulous journalists but then the freedom of information act was always to help the press

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Taxis Are Public Transport too

Join the campaign to get April fools jokes banned for 364 days a year !