Taxi Driver Online

A commendably detailed article on one level, but not clear whether it's the trade that's pressing for the trial, or whether the trial is compulsory or voluntary, or what.

But the final paragraph does suggest that it'll become mandatory if the trial is successful.

CCTV cameras to be installed in taxis and private hire vehicles in South Lanarkshire

https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/loca ... e-14198638

The council’s licensing committee agreed by 11 votes to nine on Tuesday, March 19, to start the trial which will see CCTV installed in taxis in Hamilton and both taxis and private hire vehicles in East Kilbride.

A pilot to trial CCTV in taxis and private hire vehicles in South Lanarkshire will go ahead despite calls to delay it.

The council’s licensing committee agreed by 11 votes to nine on Tuesday, March 19, to start the trial which will see CCTV installed in taxis in Hamilton and both taxis and private hire vehicles in East Kilbride.

Concerns were raised by councillors about the lack of audio recording in the proposals, which are for video-only CCTV.

Cllr Martin Lennon (Rutherglen Central and North) tabled an amendment to delay the pilot until clarification was sought about the legality of including audio recording from the information commissioner.

Gerry Mays, council solicitor, said: “The recommendation is for imagery only, sound recording will be excluded.

“This comes from a request by Police Scotland. The pilot will be used to gather information into its effectiveness.”

Sergeant Graham Rankin added: “The obvious benefits police will get is in the form of physical evidence.

“Since Christmas, there have been a total of 38 crimes in South Lanarkshire committed against taxi drivers.”

Of those crimes, 24 took place in the pilot areas.

Sergeant Rankin said that these usually start off as taxi fraud where a patron refuses to pay before escalating into breach of the peace and assault. Racial and homophobic abuse has also been aimed at taxi drivers.

One incident in February saw a taxi driver sustain two fractures after a customer refused to pay a £9 fare.

“In those circumstances, there was an element of luck as the attacker dropped their ID,” Sergeant Rankin added.

“If CCTV had been in the taxi, it would have made it a lot easier for us.”

The report about the pilot scheme proposed that the possibility of the installation of some kind of sound recording device which can be switched on in the event of a particular incident be investigated.

However, Cllr Lennon felt this was insufficient. He added: “I am less comfortable with a device that can be turned on/off. It creates an imbalance of control.

“A decent compromise would be to introduce sound recording in one area and not others.”

Cllr Graham Scott (East Kilbride East) argued that sound recording should be within the scope of the pilot.

He said: “I think it is a very reasonable request by Police Scotland to have sound included. Sound adds context.

“Pardon the pun, but you have got to have the full picture.

“I think this is a half-complete project. Is there anyway we could try and get the information commissioner to okay sound recording?”

Mr Mays responded: “That type of issue would be raised. There needs to be an evidence-based and phased approach.

“The pilot may reduce crime or increase its detection and if that produces an evidence base, we would proceed to the next level.

“Councils in England have made proposals for continuous recording and these have been struck down as unlawful.

“The information commissioner has a code for considering audio recording as it is seen as more intrusive.

“I am not here to defend the information commissioner, just to make sure this authority stays on the right side of the law.

“If we have pilot with video only it gives you evidence and a sound basis to take it to the next step. The intention would be to test this pilot on the basis proposed which we are satisfied is lawful.

“For continuous recording to be lawful there needs to be an evidence base. They are very strict about this.”

Cllr David Shearer (Clydesdale West) asked the committee if they would like clarity from the information commissioner about audio recording in the pilot and they agreed to write to the commissioner.

Cllr Lennon’s amendment proposed to wait until after this correspondence before a decision was made, however it was defeated.

Concerns were also raised by Cllr Katy Loudon (Cambuslang East) about who would be the data controller for the pilot period with regards to the introduction of GDPR last year.

Mr Mays clarified that the taxi firms themselves would be data controller during the pilot but that the council would take this responsibility on if the pilot became a compulsory condition on taxis and private hire vehicles.

It is quite a grey area, but my view is that audio is allowed if the data controller deems it so, and my view is that audio in taxi/PH is essential to help reduce crime and to protect both drivers and customers.

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IDFIMH

I don't have a system, but pretty sure audio more important than video for these sorts of things - vast majority of disputes are about what's *said* rather than something that would be caught on camera. And actual violence pretty much non-existent here, and the odd lairy, threatening or abusive type wouldn't be caught on camera, so it's what they *say* that's more important.

Certainly if I was to have a system and had to choose between video and audio, I'd go for the audio.

And if I had to have one camera and had to have it pointing in a direction of my choice I'd have it facing the road, so basically a dash cam. Most stuff that I think it's important to have on film happen on the outside of the car rather than the inside.

So audio internally, video externally, assuming I had to choose and was restricted as regards choice.

Why not have a system with audio, a front facing camera, and an internal camera.

Would be a very good investment, IMO.

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IDFIMH

Indeed, it's something I've been meaning to buy for years now, but want to spend a couple of hundred on a decent system, but always something I put off for whatever reason - come across bad reviews on Amazon; not sure about features; see it in sales then hum and haw for weeks and the price goes up again, so don't want to pay full price; etc etc

Actually had a cheapish dashcam c. 2005 when they were still quite rare, but it was a bit primitive, and I've got another cheapie from the local Shell garage which is still in the box after about three years.

Started using my mobile phone as a makeshift dashcam though, just lean it on dashboard and stick one corner to the windscreen with a lump of bluetack to hold it in place. Actually a reasonably effective dashcam, only problem is that because of battery/memory constraints it can't be used non-stop, so have to be selective about when I use it - mainly late night at weekends

Sure I'll get one some day though, possibly at the same time as I buy that bike