Taxi Driver Online

Article majors on CCTV, but sting definitely in the tail here with the almost throwaway line about compulsory WAVs, as if it's of similar importance to door signs, or whatever (signage, of course can be a huge issue in itself).

(I'm assuming at least some of the HCs in Eastbourne are currently saloon plates.)


CCTV could be made mandatory in Eastbourne taxis

https://www.eastbourneherald.co.uk/news ... is-3105621

Taxi drivers in Eastbourne could be set for a major shakeup as the town’s council goes out to consultation on a range of sweeping changes.

On Monday (January 18), Eastbourne Borough Council’s licensing committee agreed to go out to consultation on a number of proposed changes to the way taxis operate within the town.

The consultation, which is to run for eight weeks, seeks views on adding or amending 32 policies within the taxi licensing guidance.

Perhaps the biggest change proposed would be a requirement for all taxis to have council-approved CCTV systems installed by October 2022; a proposal which saw concerns raised by several committee members.

Among those to raise concerns was Cllr Candy Vaughn (Lib Dem), who recommended that the council takes steps to reduce the cost of such systems for taxi drivers. She said: “I’m just a bit worried where we find ourselves at the moment that £500 is probably going to be a lot of money to put CCTV into their cabs.

“Is there any way we would be able to perhaps join with other councils and do an en-masse bid to buy a lot of these cameras to pass the savings down to the drivers?”

But officers said this would not be the case, as it was intended for the systems to be provided by private contractors rather than the council itself.

The committee also heard that some taxi drivers already had such systems in Eastbourne, but it was only a small percentage.

This arrangement did not appear to satisfy all those on the committee, however.

Cllr Colin Belsey (Con) said: “Following up from what Cllr Vaughn said, I think there are one or two things in here which put [cost] implications on the taxi drivers or companies, whoever is going to pay, which worried me a bit especially in the current climate.

“I was at the station a couple of days ago and there was only like five taxis bothering to be in the station rank. Usually there are nine in there.

“Perhaps our licensing officers can tell us, but I think quite a few people rescinded their licences purely because of the numbers that are out there and they are not making a living out of it anymore at the moment.”

In response, officers confirmed that a small number of licences had rescinded, but that a larger number of licence holders are not currently working due to the shortage of trade.

Despite cost concerns the committee as a whole agreed for the matter to go out for consultation at least, so that views could be sought.

Another controversial proposal was for taxi drivers to be required to permanently fix signs to the side of their vehicles. This was also included within the consultation despite opposition from some committee members.

Other proposed changes include new mandatory training on safeguarding and disability awareness, as well as a mandatory English proficiency test.

It is also proposed that all newly registered hackney carriages be required to be wheelchair accessible.

Initially officers had recommended that the consultation run for six weeks, but there was some disagreement over this timing.

Conservative councillors Barry Taylor and Colin Belsey argued the consultation period should be extended to 12 weeks.

Cllr Taylor said: “We are in a lockdown situation at the present moment and we are in slight turmoil.

“It is not just the norm and I think it is not unfair, especially as there was criticism it had all been rushed on to everybody and I think we are answering those problems [of] anyone who turns around and says this has all been suddenly thrust upon us.”

Officers, however, advised that this would be an “unusually” long consultation period and advised against it.

As an alternative Liberal Democrat councillors proposed the consultation run for eight weeks instead. Despite some opposition from Cllr Taylor, this position was agreed.

No date has yet been set for the beginning of the consultation.

So does this just apply to newly issued plates, or to replacement vehicles? Makes a lot of difference to current plateholders, obviously.

And isn't Eastbourne capped? If so, a WAV requirement for new plates probably academic, so I'm guessing it's for replacement vehicles

Vast majority are saloons, which is why the council are looking to change that.

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IDFIMH

From memory saloons are restricted, but hackney WAVs are available, which leads me to think it will be change of vehicle as they have very few WAVs.

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IDFIMH

In respect of mandatory CCTV, when B&H considered it all those years ago two members of the B&H trade were the main protagonists. In short it was two against 1,500, but the two convinced the right people and got it adopted.

Go forward 15 years and one of those two now works in Eastbourne.

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IDFIMH

I would think most likely because that is what suits their clientele. I bet the council hasn't even given a seconds thought to the fact that OAP's often struggle to get in ad out of a wav

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

So despite the impression conveyed by the article, presumably the saloon HCs in Eastbourne will be a lot more bothered about the WAV spec than compulsory CCTV...

Journalists have little understanding of the restrictions/WAV issues, so it's no surprise they concentrate on the CCTV issue.

But when every bus in Eastbourne has CCTV one wonders what the big deal is.

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IDFIMH

A consultation is someone doing what they always intended doing but only after ticking the "Conultation Done" box first.