Mandatory CCTV could be on the way for taxi cabs
Taxi drivers in South Ribble may be forced to have CCTV in their vehicles in future. Licensing councillors are due to discuss the issue this evening. The borough was rocked by a taxi driver child sex abuse scandal a couple of years ago.
South Ribble Council’s general licensing committee will discuss a report about the authority’s current permissive stance towards the use of CCTV in licensed vehicles, as well as being updated on the benefits and legal implications of it becoming mandatory. Councillors will be asked to consider going down the mandatory route.
Commissioner Mary Ney was a strong supporter of the use of mandatory in-cab CCTV when she carried out a review of South Ribble’s licensing section in March 2017 in the wake of the local scandal. The committee will be told that currently nine councils – Brighton and hove, Herefordshire, Gravesham, Northumberland, Portsmouth, Rossendale, Rotherham, Southampton and Warrrington – are currently looking to go mandatory.
Councillors will be told that there would be “significant” legal implications of such a move, which could throw up issues of intrusion and infringement of civil liberties. There would be cost implications, too, understood to be several hundred pounds per vehicle.
Councillor John Rainsbury, chairman of the committee, said: “It is very important that we have these discussions over the future of taxi licensing in South Ribble - and that we make sure any proposed changes to our service are given full consideration. “The safety of drivers and passengers has to be of paramount importance - which is why I look forward to debating the pros and cons of mandatory in-cab CCTV.”
Philip Briggs, manager of Leyland-based Avacab, said passenger safety was paramount. He said he supported mandatory courses for the discloure and barring service and child protection, for example. He said: “I’m aware large cities have it because of passenger safety and driver safety, but we’re quite a rural borough and we very rarely have any issues with passengers and drivers towards passengers. On paper it looks like a good idea, but you have to make sure passengers are safe with data protection and all that.” He added: “There are definitely more pros than cons.”
|
