This is why taxi drivers could soon have to pass an English testhttps://www.somersetlive.co.uk/news/som ... ss-1790946Aspiring Bath and North East Somerset taxi drivers could be facing changesAll aspiring taxi drivers in Bath and North East Somerset could soon have to pass an English test in order to obtain a licence.
The speaking test would be compulsory for all new applicants following a review of the council’s taxi policy.
A consultation about the review starts on Monday (July 16) and is set to last six weeks.
During a Bath and North East Somerset Council licensing committee meeting on Wednesday (July 11) members were told the policy needed to be aligned with proposals for Bath’s Clean Air Plan - which could see an emission charge introduced in the city.
Members were also told that proposals to introduce an English speaking test for all taxi driver applicants were a matter of “public safety”.
Cathryn Brown, environmental protection and licensing manager for the council, said: “Drivers need to be able to communicate with their passengers, especially if there is an emergency.
“We want to make sure our drivers have a good grasp of the English language.”
She also explained that a number of other local authorities in the country have already introduced similar tests.
The licensing committee was told the test would be part of the application process and would be conducted over the telephone by an independent assessor.
“Applicants will be asked a number of questions, to which they will have to answer over the phone and they will also be asked to construct sentences,” added Ms Brown.
“Each applicant will be given a score at the end and it will be either pass or fail.”
Ms Brown said that as part of the review she would be meeting with the Independent Equalities Group to discuss the proposals.
Following the review taxi drivers will also have to undergo specialist training so they can spot the signs that a child is being sexually exploited.
Both hackney carriage and private hire cabbies will have to complete the training on safeguarding children and child sexual exploitation (CSE).
During Wednesday’s meeting members of the licensing committee were told that the CSE training was a recommendation made by Ofsted following an inspection of services for children in need of help last year.
Currently drivers who are on school contracts have to complete the training - but following the review this would be rolled out to all 600 drivers licenced by the authority.
Ms Brown told members of the licensing committee that the training was just as much about “supporting the drivers” who are in a “position of responsibility”.
She also explained that the decision to make the training compulsory to all drivers was because of problems in other areas of the country where “children have been trafficked in taxis”.
“We want to give them support so they know what to look out for and how to report it,” added Ms Brown.
A launch event for the consultation took place at Odd Down Sports Ground from 10am to 3pm on Monday (July 16).
When the consultation ends on September 15 officers will prepare a report taking into account the responses and bring it to the licensing committee in October.
A final decision on the review will then be made by cabinet.
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