Taxi Driver Online

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SECURITY FEARS OVER TAXI ACCESS TO BASE


12:00 - 22 November 2004
The Ministry of Defence is to review security at Devonport Dockyard amid fears that taxi drivers are able to come and go unchecked.

The Herald can exclusively reveal today that Royal Navy bosses are to review how the drivers are regulated entering and leaving the base.

The Herald understands Naval top brass have concerns that some foreign drivers coming to work in Plymouth could pose a security risk in today's terrorist-conscious climate.

They are worried that drivers, particularly those from Eastern European countries hostile towards Britain during the Cold War, are not being properly vetted when they apply for a licence in Plymouth.

The Plymouth Licensed Taxi Association has also sent a letter to the MoD to expressed concerns about how drivers are able to enter the base with only their taxi licence looked at.

And South West Devon MP Gary Streeter has written to Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon asking him to look at the standing orders for taxis entering the dockyard.

Today a navy spokesperson said: "We are considering the security status of all taxi drivers.

"It is true that we have received a letter from a taxi association and we are considering all options with regards to the taxi services."

One of the options thought to be under consideration by defence officials is restricting the number of taxis and private hire vehicles allowed into the base - although an outright ban has been ruled out.

"It is a matter of regulating them, but we are not considering a ban on taxis entering the base. We are not looking at any negative effects on people's lives."

The Plymouth Licensed Taxi Association secretary, Roy Hamilton, said drivers could enter the base and only needed to leave their taxi licence at the gate.

He said: "Once you have got your taxi badge you are not checked - the security take it as read that you are a fit and proper person because you have been through the taxi process.

"You just do not know now what is going on in there and it is of great concern."

South West Devon MP Gary Streeter called for Government defence ministers to look at the standing orders at the base.

He said: "Security must be paramount. The Ministry of Defence should review it.

"There needs to be greater clarity on the vetting of taxi drivers."

Plymouth City Council said that all people applying for a taxi licence go through the same stringent checks and are subject to a Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) check and have to pass a special driving test and the local knowledge test.

A council spokesperson said: "We have stringent procedures in place to ensure that applicants are suitable to become drivers."

The spokesperson added: "Any security arrangements regarding access to the dockyard are the responsibility of the Ministry of Defence."

well, now you mention it a few years ago just before the bi annual open day inspection I went into the base.

I finished up asking where to park for a man with scrambled egg on the front of his cap to ask how I got this far.

yep I am a foregner from the north and pose a security risk.

the very knid officer got some nice men in jeeps to show me the way to the gate.

much better than giving directions.

I think the Navy are more scared of the cab fares, and whether the drivers are going to fall asleep, if we can believe the recent press.

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IDFIMH

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DOCKYARD SECURITY PASS PLAN


12:00 - 10 December 2004
Taxi-drivers in Plymouth will have to apply for special security passes to enter Devonport Dockyard following a review of security by the Royal Navy.

The move comes after the Plymouth Taxi Association wrote to the Navy expressing concern that drivers could come and go with only their taxi licences checked.

From next week drivers will be able to apply for the new passes and they will come into force from April next year.

Roy Hamilton, of the Plymouth Licensed Taxi Association, said: "We are very pleased they are being brought in. It is a proper, national security check. They want to know who your father is, your mother and your roots.

"It is a very thorough check and exactly what we hoped they would do.

"It will not be a problem for drivers. I can't see how it will damage trade - they just have to go to the gate to pick up an application form."

The Herald revealed in November that a review was under way, after it emerged that drivers only needed to leave their taxi licence at the gate to gain entry to the base and their vehicles were rarely searched.

It was understood that in the current terrorist-conscious climate senior officials in the Navy were worried about foreign national drivers coming to the UK and getting access to the base.

Their fear was that the drivers were not being properly vetted when applying for a licence.

All drivers applying for a licence in Plymouth go through the same Criminal Records Bureau checks and foreign national drivers are check through their national embassy.

A Royal Navy spokesman said: "We are introducing a new pass and now it will be up to taxi-drivers to apply for it.

"The pass will perform a basic security check and drivers can get it through here or their companies. We will start the applications next week. About 1,300 drivers in the city could apply."

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since the original article appeared in the paper, some of our 'non-british' drivers have been stopped from entering the dockyard.

I can't believe that tit from the taxi association.

Why couldn't he keep his big gob shut, and let the Navy worry about it's own security.

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IDFIMH

Some of the drivers we ave here I would be scared of them.
Saw a driver pee up his wheel last week. One working (with a 8 seatrer) with his dog in the motor a month ago.
And one asked me yesterday where the pier was.

i was talking to one of the guys on the gate last night, and they are looking to do this as part of their general overall of monitoring who comes in and goes out.

they have started recording vehicle reg numbers (no just taxis), time in and time out, number of passengers, etc... they say that last saturday, when they first started keeping such records, they had over 1,000 taxi trips going in to the base!