CCTV in taxis to remain voluntary, Telford & Wrekin Council’s licensing committee decides
Following consultation with both drivers and passengers, Telford & Wrekin Council’s licensing committee has taken the decision to maintain voluntary use of CCTV in taxis licensed under the authority.
Across the country 17 (out of 266) licensing authorities have made CCTV compulsory for taxi and private hire vehicles.
Deputy Leader of Telford & Wrekin Council and Cabinet Member for Homes and Enforcement, Councillor Richard Overton said:
“It’s such a fine balance but by building on the success of our pilot and keeping the use of CCTV voluntary, we retain control over taxi standards in the borough with those who obtain their licenses here.
“We continue to build on the number of taxis with CCTV cameras we already have – soon to stand at over 50 – through external sources of funding which supports our existing drivers as well, helping overall to maintain high standards of safety.”
Councillor Overton added: “The committee is confident it has made the right decision with the option of reviewing in the future if needed, to support the safety of residents and drivers and ensuring we continue with our aim to make Telford and Wrekin a cleaner, greener, safer place to live and do business.”
Evidence from 185 responses gathered over an eight-week period in June this year, showed that 75% of passengers felt the use of CCTV would improve safety. However mandatory CCTV would mean drivers would foot the bill of more than £700 and consequently obtain licences from neighbouring authorities that operate a voluntary policy.
The result would mean a loss of licensing powers for Telford & Wrekin Council.
The consultation comes after the introduction of the Department for Transport (DfT) Statutory Taxi and Private Hire Vehicle Standards (Statutory Standards).
