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PostPosted: Thu Jul 29, 2021 6:37 pm 
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Where to start with some of this ](*,)

Can't see this happening, somehow...


Taxi passengers in Wakefield to be asked where they live - even if they aren't going home

https://www.pontefractandcastlefordexpr ... me-3328165

Passengers booking taxis in Wakefield could soon be asked to disclose where they live, even if they're not travelling to or from their home address.

Private hire firms are set to request the details from every customer under proposed new rules.

Wakefield Council who are looking to implement the change as part of a review of its taxi policies, say the move is in the interests of safeguarding.

It will help them get in touch with passengers in the event of any incident that needs following up afterwards.

However, both the council and operators have accepted they are powerless to stop people giving false names and addresses, as passengers are under no obligation to comply.

The idea was discussed at the council's licensing committee on Wednesday.

Representing one of the district's taxi driver unions, licensing consultant Dave Wilson told the meeting he thought asking for customers' addresses was "not unreasonable".

But he cautioned: "The main issue is whether people will honestly tell you.

"I think there may well be a number of Mickey Mouses and Donald Ducks.

"And where do they live? Disneyland, presumably!

"I know a licensing solicitor who, whenever he uses taxis, gives another name and a false address, because he doesn't want the taxi drivers to know exactly where he lives."

The council is also planning to introduce DBS checks for taxi office staff.

However, Mr Wilson expressed opposition to that idea, saying that forcing existing employees to undergo the checks may be "difficult" under employment law.

He said that firms could be forced to sack staff who refused to have the requirement written into a new contract, leaving them open to unfair dismissal claims.

He told the meeting: "I'm not suggesting that operators are opposed to the DBS checks.

"But if you've been employed by an operator for 15 or 20 years, you've had no trouble and they trust you implicitly, there's a risk some people might take great offence."

However, councillors voted in favour of the idea being included in the proposed new policy, which will eventually go out to public consultation before it's put into practice.

Labour's Coun Clive Tennant said: "I can understand where Mr Wilson is coming from.

"They might be a first-class employee.

"But the only person who doesn't want a DBS check is someone who's got something to hide. That's my opinion."

Taxi drivers are already subject to criminal background checks when they apply for, or renew a licence, and so the proposals do not affect them.


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PostPosted: Thu Jul 29, 2021 6:39 pm 
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Quote:
Representing one of the district's taxi driver unions, licensing consultant Dave Wilson told the meeting he thought asking for customers' addresses was "not unreasonable".

Ah, the guy who was instrumental in likes of HCs working cross-border hundreds of miles away from places like Berwick and Shropshire, topically enough?

And then encouraging cross-border working by PHVs? :roll:

Cross-border King wrote:
"I know a licensing solicitor who, whenever he uses taxis, gives another name and a false address, because he doesn't want the taxi drivers to know exactly where he lives."

Destroy your own argument and look like a grade-A hypocrite, why don't you? :shock:

Quote:
The council is also planning to introduce DBS checks for taxi office staff.

However, Mr Wilson expressed opposition to that idea, saying that forcing existing employees to undergo the checks may be "difficult" under employment law.

Ah, well, at least that's consistent with the threat to public safety posed by cross-border working...


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PostPosted: Thu Jul 29, 2021 9:04 pm 
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Location: 1066 Country
Quote:
Passengers booking taxis in Wakefield could soon be asked to disclose where they live, even if they're not travelling to or from their home address.

The latest data info laws basically say that folks should only hold information if that information is needed for good reasons. The actual laws defines it much better, but that's the bare fact.

So asking for info on stuff for no practical purpose, is in fact a breach of the law.

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PostPosted: Thu Jul 29, 2021 9:06 pm 
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Quote:
However, Mr Wilson expressed opposition to that idea, saying that forcing existing employees to undergo the checks may be "difficult" under employment law.

So asking for info on Joe Public in breach of data regs is ok, but checking the background of those folks asking for that info is not.

Mr Cross Border strikes again. #-o

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PostPosted: Fri Jul 30, 2021 5:16 am 
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Location: Stamford Britains prettiest town till SKDC ruined it
I think the data commissioner in charge of GDPR will shut this down straight away

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PostPosted: Fri Jul 30, 2021 7:36 pm 
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How will they deal with auto bookings?

How will they deal with pub/restaurant bookings?

How will they deal with contract/school bookings?

How will they deal with bookings for minors?

I could go on but you have to wonder why Mr Cross Border didn't ask those questions at committee.

Or maybe this is merely an anti app initiative being put forward by the traditional firms that back him.

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PostPosted: Fri Sep 10, 2021 2:00 am 
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:roll:

Wakefield Council drops plans to have taxi passengers' addresses recorded, regardless of destination

https://www.wakefieldexpress.co.uk/news ... on-3377835

Plans to ask taxi firms in Wakefield to record passengers' addresses, even if they weren't going to or from their homes, have been dropped.

Licensing chiefs at Wakefield Council had considered introducing the measure in the interests of safeguarding.

But taxi firms were sceptical of the idea, with representatives suggesting they were powerless to stop passengers calling themselves "Donald Duck" and giving a false address.

The proposal has now been left out of an updated taxi policy, which the council approved at a committee meeting on Wednesday.

Chief licensing officer Chris Burnett said: "There was quite a lot of discussion about this at the last meeting.

"The argument put forward by the operators, was that if they were simply taking someone from one nightclub to another nightclub, why would they need his home address?

"The idea was about having sufficient information to track down that person afterwards if we needed to.

"The decision now is that a name and a contact number will be sufficient."

The council has also agreed to temporarily suspend its rules around vehicle emissions, in a bid to help hard-hit drivers.

Under the rules, many cabbies would have had to fork out for a new car this year, if their current vehicle had reached 10 years of age.

But in recognition of the financial impact of the Covid pandemic, the committee unanimously approved a one year extension for those affected.

The council's new taxi policy takes effect from this Thursday (September 9), with several alterations from the previous one, following a consultation with drivers themselves.

These include rules around DBS checks for office staff, and annual medical checks for cabbies over the age of 65.

Mr Burnett said that as a result of the short notice, a number of drivers would technically be in breach of the new rules instantly, but that the council would not immediately punish them for it.

He said: "We're taking a pragmatic approach.

"We'll be informing the operators of the changes and working with them over the next few weeks.

"If we get to five or six months down the line and the operators are still not complying, then we will be looking to enforce it."


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PostPosted: Fri Sep 10, 2021 7:08 pm 
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Quote:
"The decision now is that a name and a contact number will be sufficient."

So a customer books a taxi/PH via a supermarket freephone and they have to give their mobile or landline number?

How is that GDPR compliant? #-o

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PostPosted: Sat Sep 11, 2021 3:04 pm 
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I live In Scotland but Ive Used the occasional Taxi on Holiday in England from Point A to B...What my home address is has absolutely no bearing on my Taxi Journey on that day...and I'd not give them it either.


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