Taxi Driver Online

There is a cost, no doubt about it, but it's not a cost that will bankrupt anyone or stop a driver licensing a multi-seater.

Cambridge taxi drivers threaten court action against mandatory CCTV in cars

Some taxi drivers in Cambridge have said they will consider taking legal action against plans for mandatory CCTV in their cars. All drivers applying to Cambridge City Council for a taxi licence from April next year, will be required to have CCTV installed in their vehicles.

The decision was taken in order to help improve safety of both drivers and passengers in taxis and private hire vehicles. The authority had planned to require all taxis to have CCTV by April 2022, but this was not met due to delays identifying an approved supplier for the cameras and the covid pandemic. Some taxi drivers have said that while they supported the safety aims of the cameras, they could not afford the cost to buy and install them.

In a report presented to the city council’s Licensing Committee earlier today (Monday, October 24), it said the estimated costs for a single camera system to be between £75 and £100, and to be between £100 to £125 for a two camera system. A single camera system and panic button is estimated to cost £320, and to cost £500 for a two-camera system with two panic buttons. While the saloon style taxis are expected to only need one camera, a larger eight seater vehicle may require four cameras.

One driver of a wheelchair accessible taxi told councillors that he could not afford the cameras and feared the city would lose more accessible vehicles due to the increased cost. He said: “April is way too early to bring CCTV in. As a driver I cannot afford it and that will put a question mark on will I continue doing my job, or will I just move on and try to do something else.”

Ahmed Karaahmed, the chairman of Cambridge City Licensed Taxis, said the city council was creating an extra expense for drivers when they were already struggling. He said: “The taxi trade is trying to recover from long lasting covid until now, with no profit. Next year will be another challenging year for our business, and winter will be tough. It is a tough time to be running a business, this winter people might be struggling to pay for food, their mortgages, energy bills, and I believe some taxi drivers will fall into this group. Cambridge City Council is creating an extra expense for the taxi trade.”

He said other authorities that had implemented similar policies had paid for the cameras. He also argued that not being able to turn off the cameras when the taxi was being driven for private use was a “privacy risk”. Mr Karaahmed told the committee that if the policy was agreed then they would consider taking the matter to court.

Councillor Iva Divkovic asked council officers if they had looked into the possibility of the city council subsidising the cost. Officers explained that if the city council did subsidise the money would have to come from the general fund and would therefore need to be a budget bid for it.

They added that they would be happy to go away and look into it, but said they “would not hold up much hope” that internal funding could be found. Councillor Naomi Bennett, said she was concerned that the increased costs being faced by taxi drivers could lead to fewer wheelchair accessible vehicles.

She said: “The larger the vehicle, the more cameras are needed and the more expensive it will be. As a mobility scooter user when I am out on my mobility scooter if it breaks down I need one of the very large vehicles to come and rescue me. I know we are down to only four in Cambridge.”

Cllr Bennett said she knew there was a “black hole” in the city council's finances, but asked whether a zero interest loan scheme was possible to help drivers with the cost of the cameras. The licensing officer said they would have to speak to the finance team about whether that was an option for the authority.

Councillor Geri Bird said she understood the drivers financial concerns, but said their safety and passengers safety needed to be the priority. She said: “I understand your problems with the cost of living, like everyone else has got, we as a council have got problems with the budget. I do feel for you, but I also feel for the passengers and your safety and I think that should be the most important thing to look at.”

When put to a vote the committee approved the recommendation that any new taxi licence, or the renewal of an existing licence, from April 1, 2023, will require the vehicle to be fitted with CCTV. Councillors did agree for officers to look at potential subsidising options, either from the city council, or funded externally, and asked for the committee to be updated at the next meeting about progress on this.

_________________
IDFIMH

So they are struggling to fund CCTV but appear to have 10s of 1000s to fund a Judicial Review, which they will lose.

And even if they won the council can merely meet and adopt it again.

_________________
IDFIMH

I thought all this came up before a few years ago did they abandon the then plans ?

_________________
lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector

Sabre-rattling, and I suspect they don't have much of a clue about the substantive law and the legal process.

If they do look into it properly I suspect they'll abandon it pretty quickly

When mandatory CCTV was first mentioned down here, about 15 years ago, a straw poll would have had 2 drivers for 1498 against.

Even the LOs had significant concerns.

If we took that straw poll again today I would say it’s 1,500 to nil in favour.

_________________
IDFIMH

Looks like it's been rubber-stamped, and we'll just have to wait for the judicial review

This is the official council news release, so pretty predictable spiel.


CCTV to be installed in Cambridge taxis and private hire cars to improve safety

https://www.cambridge.gov.uk/news/2022/ ... ove-safety

ALL taxis and private hire vehicles licensed in Cambridge will soon have CCTV installed in them, in a boost for customer and driver safety.

Cambridge City Council’s Licensing Committee gave the green light to a programme which will see CCTV systems in all vehicles licensed by the council by 31 March 2024.

The council is responsible for licensing all Hackney carriage, private hire and dual drivers, as well as taxi proprietors and operators in Cambridge.

As taxi licensing authority, the council has a number of objectives, including the safety and protection of the public, vehicle safety, prevention of crime and protection of drivers – all of which will help to be met by the installation of CCTV in the vehicles it licenses.

Introducing CCTV for all licensed vehicles will also ensure there is supporting evidence for any criminal or enforcement investigations into customers’ or drivers’ actions or behaviour while the vehicles are operational.

At this week’s committee meeting councillors agreed to review the CCTV programme every five years, with the first review to take place in 2029.

The council is working closely with neighbouring South Cambridgeshire District Council (SCDC) on specifications for the installation of CCTV, as SCDC are also looking to introduce it in vehicles which they license.

Under the specifications for use, all recorded images will be securely captured, stored and encrypted, and the CCTV system will not be accessible while the vehicle is in use commercially. Vehicle proprietors will be able to source and install their own systems as long as they meet or exceed the council’s requirements.

Cllr Russ McPherson, Chair of Cambridge City Council’s Licensing Committee, said: “As licensing authority we have a duty to do all we can to ensure the safety of drivers and passengers.

“Fortunately, incidents in Cambridge’s taxis and private hire vehicles are rare but installation of CCTV across the fleet will provide additional reassurance to customers and drivers alike, act as a deterrent, and will be able to provide clear evidence for any investigations that may have to take place.”

How common is that?

I assume it's pretty unusual, but an article a few months ago about Doncaster also said bigger vehicles might need up to four cameras

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=38428&p=419008

I think the above is more of a generalisation rather than a condition of license.

Clearly, all cars need one camera, but I suspect many saloons will have a front and back-looking camera.

As for larger vehicles, I would be very surprised if they had more than two cameras. The fish eye lenses that are in use now pick up nearly all parts of the cab.

Although I suppose if the multiseater has a screen then you might need two rear-facing cameras, one in the driver's section the other in the back, as well as the front facing camera.

_________________
IDFIMH

You know the trade gets me having CCTV Just may save your life or get people into court its little to pay for your safety what about your famileys

_________________
C. Oakes


The Hackney Association Ltd
bbha@btinternet.com

Request for trade financial impact impact state should be made (Regulators Code)

Looks like the judicial review threat turned out to be mere sabre-rattling after all - who'd have expected that?

A lot cheaper to stage a good old protest, though. But if they're planning several of those then the money they'll lose not working could have paid for the CCTV