Taxi Driver Online

and it could also be totally and utterly usless in court with the CPS or the PF.

and it could also be totally and utterly usless in court with the CPS or the PF.

Are you saying that the police can't use evidence from CCTV cameras in or on private houses?

The issue is perhaps more to do with privacy than admissability of evidence in court.

An LA may specify certain conditions as regards the system used, but this may have nothing to do with whether or not the images can be used as evidence in a criminal case.

The issue is perhaps more to do with privacy than admissability of evidence in court.

An LA may specify certain conditions as regards the system used, but this may have nothing to do with whether or not the images can be used as evidence in a criminal case.

Sheffield invested £7000 the racial abuse attacks were cut down from one in every seven journeys to one in every hundred.

Do you have any idea as to how the investment was distributed ? and what costs were you involved in ?

In the light of some of the comments I would like to clear up a few possible misunderstandings. The issue of fitting security cameras in Sheffield taxis has been around for years, in fact it was as early as 2003 when the council devised it's policy on taxi cameras - in conjunction with interested parties including the taxi representative organisations. Despite it being on the agenda for so long, not one single camera had been fitted (or at least no permission to fit a camera had been applied for) until this project started. This, despite there being rumours of people getting grants to fit cameras. This project was not initiated by the Council's Taxi Licensing Deprtment but by the Sheffield Safer Communities Partnership - Violent Crime Theme Group - who provided the �7,000 funding for the pilot in recognition of the abuse, threats and violence suffered by taxi drivers. The apparent unequal split between Black cab and Private Hire was determined by: (a) cost - in the 'pilot' it cost over three times as much for black cab ( 2 cameras fitted) than for Private Hire (1 camera fitted); and (b) taking into account the proximity of the fare to the driver. For the purposes of the 'pilot' we wanted to get as many cameras out there as possible to get the best evaluation but also to cover both types of vehicle. The selection of drivers to be involved in the project was left to the two Sheffield taxi associations. The cameras were supplied at no cost to the drivers, in exchange for them keeping extensive records of their experiences with fares, before and after the cameras were fitted. Sheffield is the latest in a number of cities and towns where taxis have cameras fitted - all - including the Sheffield 'pilot' - show massive improvement in passenger behaviour and driver safety. The next phase of the Sheffield project, having proved that cameras do make a very significant difference, is to encourage a wider take up by drivers. I understand that the vast majority of drivers are self employed and as such can claim any cost of fitting a camera against tax - it will therefore cost them nothing in the long run! There are a great number of suppliers in the market offering different system - cost can range from thousands of pounds down to around �180 - dependent on the type of vehicle. Some suppliers are considering putting together finance deals and others will hire the equipment (hire cost also claimable against tax). The systems in this 'pilot' are on the market for around �800 for the Cygnus black cab system and around �200 for the Autocab Private Hire system - but I am sure you could get a better deal if you got together to make a bulk purchase. Whilst I am aware of some of the history and tensions between taxi drivers and the Council, this 'pilot' is a genuine attempt to improve driver safety with a very limited amount of money - and may I repeat - the first time anyone has done anything like this in Sheffield. I have absolutely no commercial interest in cameras being installed in taxi - but please feel free to contact me is you have any questions as I have taken the led on the project. Andy Christian - Andy.Christian@sheffield.gov.uk

The apparent unequal split between Black cab and Private Hire was determined by: (a) cost - in the 'pilot' it cost over three times as much for black cab ( 2 cameras fitted) than for Private Hire (1 camera fitted); and (b) taking into account the proximity of the fare to the driver.

I understand that the vast majority of drivers are self employed and as such can claim any cost of fitting a camera against tax - it will therefore cost them nothing in the long run!

Very surprising that.

I don't think I have ever come across a taxi/PH CCTV with two cameras. You have to wonder if that's really necessary.