It is good that common sense has prevailed with a council’s attempt to make CCTV mandatory in taxis and PHVs.
For two years, Peterborough City Council’s Licensing Committee has been pushing to make CCTV cameras compulsory in all taxis and PHVs to improve passenger safety. And following the U-turn, drivers say they are “ecstatic”.
Camera scheme
The BBC reports that the proposals would have meant that more than 100 operators and 1,800 taxi drivers having to pay for approved CCTV systems to be installed in their vehicles within 18 months. They would also have to adhere to strict GDPR regulations about access and storage of images.
The BBC noted that the proposals had been extremely unpopular with both Hackney Carriage and private hire drivers and had been described as an “intrusion of privacy” that would cause “a financial burden” to drivers.
More than 600 people responded to a consultation into the proposals, including 288 from people in the trade. Despite strong opposition – 90% of the trade voted against it – the licensing committee voted in September that cameras would be mandatory. The committee’s recommendation went to the full council in December, but instead of rubber stamping the scheme, councillors listened to concerns raised by the taxi trade.
The council was told that while the scheme was primarily aimed at passenger safety, drivers felt that it would leave them out of pocket, and was not only an intrusion into their privacy, but into that of their passengers as well.
Standards
Councillors were concerned that if they simply pushed ahead with the scheme and forced drivers to install cameras in vehicles, many PHV drivers would register their vehicles in other districts and the council would not be able to hold them to the same standards as other Peterborough-badged drivers. This would undermine the drive for safety the council was aiming to achieve.
Having listened to concerns raised about the proposals, when it came to the vote at full council, 37 councillors – almost 70% – voted against introducing the cameras, eight voted in favour and nine abstained.
After the decision, Peterborough Private Hire Association chairman Nawaab Imran Khan said members “welcome the council’s decision and feel ecstatic”.
Cross-border drivers
He said “cross-border issues were a big concern” and his association felt it was a “big victory”.
“This is a huge relief for us. Of course there is the voluntary CCTV option for drivers.
“We are happy with the voluntary take-up of the CCTV but are against the mandatory rule.
“If it was introduced nationally, we would oblige but find it unfair that only Peterborough is being made to follow this rule.”
Labour councillor Zameer Ali, who is also a taxi operator but was not allowed to vote, said: “We didn’t expect the level and volume of support we got.
“Hopefully the [drivers’ association] can work with the council’s licensing authority and move forward and improve the trade.”
This is a good example of a licensing authority listening to drivers and operators, rather than forcing new regulations on them. The drive behind it may have been passenger safety, but it is wrong to expect anyone to be forced to go about their working day with cameras on them the entire time.
Drivers can choose to have CCTV fitted in their cabs, but it doesn’t make sense to penalise Peterborough drivers while those who are registered in other areas can operate alongside them without the same requirements.
