Taxi Driver Online

Order to justify taxi CCTV plan



OXFORD City Council has been told to justify its plan for recording conversations in taxis in a move that may take the controversial scheme closer to being ruled a breach of privacy.

The Information Commissioner’s Office has served a preliminary enforcement notice on the council over its plans to make all Hackney cabs and private hire taxis it licenses install a sound and video recording system.

The ICO says the compulsory scheme may not comply with the Data Protection Act and has asked the council to submit a written response proving otherwise.

If the commissioner’s office is not satisfied with the council’s response, it can issue an enforcement notice, demanding that the plan is scrapped.

Failure to comply is a criminal offence.

The council wants all new cabs to have the £460 cameras, with the existing 665 vehicles fitted by April 2015.

It has offered to pay £100 towards the cost of each recording system.

The council argues cameras will protect drivers from assaults and allegations by passengers.

It says footage would only be reviewed on request.

The watchdog contacted the council after the Oxford Mail reported on the proposals in November last year.

The ICO’s CCTV code of practice says: “CCTV must not be used to record conversations between members of the public, as this is highly intrusive.”

The scheme was due to start on April 1 but was put on hold by the council because of the watchdog’s intervention.

ICO spokesman Greg Jones said: “The notice relates to our concerns that the scheme may not be compliant with the requirements of the Data Protection Act.”

The Act’s principles include the demand that collection of information should be “not excessive”.

The council has until early next month to respond.

Spokesman Annette [edited by admin] said: “As a public body, it is right that the council should reflect on the concerns expressed. The scheme has been suspended pending that reconsideration.”

Nick Pickles, director of privacy campaign group Big Brother Watch, said: “It’s time for the plan to be dropped.”

Private hire driver Khalil Ahmed – who collected 273 signatures on a petition against the plan – said: “It’s very positive news.

“We have always argued against the legality of it. It is futile and unnecessary and a waste of ratepayers’ money.”

source: http://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/yourto ... CCTV_plan/

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

a few reasons to justify the CCTV;

http://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/yourto ... ult_claim/

http://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/yourto ... ing_women/

http://www.oxfordjournal.co.uk/news/13- ... y-robbers/

http://www.cps-complaintsagainst.com/in ... laintID=33

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

Although I don't want a camera myself, well not one I'm not in control of anyway, I can see all sorts of national security benefits to having them like when two Russians get in and start yacking away in native about Agent Chenyobol and what he's reported back to the Kremlin etc etc, some good info could be gleaned this way in much the same way as Sussex said about a former mayor who liked to stretch his legs amongst other things in Brighton while having a jolly.

These drivers sure have something to hide if they don't want CCTV.

This is the individual who is campaigning against proposals by the government to stop children accessing porn on the internet.

Nice fella.

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IDFIMH

The article alludes to the scraping of CCTV. Surely this is only the question of perminate audio recording not video. So simply installing a "panic" switch on the audio feed would negate any objections.
If the defence for audio is worded correctly I feel council will have a strong case. I would suggest they also get the opinion from a high ranking crime prevention officer.

Oh I think plenty in the irony tower of Westminster have a liking for such things. All the time the MSM is cozy with elite very little will ever come out. One only has to look at the jersey case, Alex salmon, Bush senior.....I could go on and on

Tell me about it.

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IDFIMH

Easy tiger

Council to rethink its taxi CCTV proposals



A controversial plan to record all conversations in city taxis is to be looked at again.

Oxford City Council is set to launch a “more extensive” consultation which could lead to only video or audio recording, rather than both.

Last year it approved the compulsory scheme after it was backed by two trade bodies.

But deputy leader Ed Turner said concerns raised by drivers following a November Oxford Mail report had led the council to think again.

He said: “The fact we are doing more consultation suggests the first consultation with trade bodies wasn’t sufficient to get an accurate view. That is why we are having another round of consultation.”

A council report backs more extensive consultation which could ask “whether either or both types of recording should be introduced”.

The council and trade leaders argue cameras are vital to provide evidence of attacks and allegations against drivers.

But civil liberties campaigners claim the devices breach data protection guidelines and are an invasion of privacy.

Alan Woodward, former chairman of trade body City of Oxford Licensed Taxi Cab Association (Colta) – who led calls for the cameras but resigned amid criticism from some cabbies – said “one or two” opposed the plans.

He said: “I had drivers in my office complaining about being attacked by passengers. We also had people complaining to the police about being attacked by drivers.”

The association represents 103 of the city’s 107 black cab drivers, he said, and committee leaders were elected each year.

But minicab driver Khalil Ahmed, who organised a petition of more than 270 opposed to the plan, said: “The council has never consulted the drivers.

“Colta never represented Hackney carriage drivers properly.”

He said the 665 minicab drivers “never had a proper body”.

Colta was not available for comment.

Nick Pickles, director of campaign group Big Brother Watch, said: “We don’t need another drawn-out consultation, we need the council to drop this intrusive, illiberal policy before any more damage is done to Oxford’s reputation.”

The cameras would start when the ignition is activated and stop 30 minutes after it is switched off. Footage would only be viewed on request from police and council officers. The council wanted all new cabs to have the £460 cameras, with the existing 665 vehicles fitted by April 2015.

It offered to pay £100 towards the cost of each recording system.

The plan was put on hold pending an inquiry by the Information Commissioner’s Office which ordered the council to justify the legality of cameras.

http://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/972636 ... proposals/

_________________
Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

I wonder if its because they don't want to be found out that they are illegally picking up