Green light given to cameras in cabs

11:48am Sunday 6th January 2008

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TAXI drivers in York have been given the go-ahead to fit crime-fighting CCTV cameras in their cars.

Councillors have granted a request from the city's Taxi Association and Private Hire Association to help curb the problems of abusive or violent customers and non-payment.

A pilot scheme launched last April proved successful, and City of York Council's licensing and regulatory committee has now given drivers permission to install the devices.

The council's licensing manager, John Lacy, told the committee that up to 60 drivers had indicated they would do so.

Drivers needed the consent of the committee, but will have to foot the bill themselves, after attempts to secure funding from organisations such as Safer York Partnership failed.

Stuart Robertson, vice-chairman of York Taxi Association, told The Press: "In general, most people in York behave, so there isn't the need that's manifest in some cities of a similar size. But some drivers are choosing to install them for their own protection."

Mr Lacy told the meeting: "One or two overseas drivers had been targeted for abuse, and some female drivers.

"The pilot was for nine months, over the busy summer period, and it certainly showed that fitting a camera led to a reduction in incidents."

He cited an example from driver Alan Rowley, who had been taking some passengers to Stamford Bridge.

On the way, they had indicated they were not going to pay the fare, and told Mr Rowley: "I hope you can run."

But when he told them they were being recorded, the passengers said they were "only joking" and offered to pay immediately.

The cameras are automatically triggered by the ignition being switched on, or the door being opened.

Mr Lacy said the proposal had been checked against guidance from the Information Commissioner, and was valid.

Committee chairman Ian Gillies said: "Drivers do a good job in the night-time economy and at late hours, and I think they should be encouraged by the council to adopt this scheme and put these in their cars."

The Press reported a shocking incident in September last year, when cab driver Mark Ebdon was threatened by a passenger, who said he would stab him in a row over paying to clean up Mr Ebdon's taxi after food was spilled in it.

Mr Ebdon later backed the proposal to allow drivers to have CCTV in their cars.

The committee also approved a proposal to stop private hire cars in the city being painted black. Last year, the council ruled that all hackney cars should be black, to distinguish them from private hire vehicles.

To complement that ruling, they have now said the private hire ones should not be black.

All new vehicles must be another colour, and arrangements are to be drawn up for those black ones currently operating.