KIRKLEES:
Taxi drivers need two special licences to lis- ten to the radio, according to a Kirklees Council lawyer.
Geoff Bell told the Licensing and Safety Committee that, by law, cabbies required the licences if they listened to copyright- ed music while working.
The council’s princi- pal legal officer said: “The law says that any public vehicle or office that plays music should have copyright protection licences.
“If taxi drivers don’t have them they could be committing an offence.”
Cabbies would have to pay £30 a year for a Performing Rights Licence and £99 for a Public Performance Licence to be covered legally.
Mr Bell said: “I can
understand taxi driv- ers saying ‘what the heck is this? Howev- er, the chances of these music compa- nies taking action against taxi drivers is minimal.
“I don’t think we should impose a con- dition on their licences but we should advise taxi drivers that they could be breaking the law.”
The committee decid- ed to include infor- mation about copy- right law in training packs for new taxi drivers. Cabbies will also be informed of the issue when they renew their licences. Committee chair- woman Cllr Christine Iredale told the Hudder- sfield Daily Examiner: “If they have been advised and they don’t want to get the licences, it’s up to them.”
ROUNDTHE.. WOLVERHAMPTON:
TWO LICENCES TO LISTENTO RADIO
The copyright law also applies to other forms of public transport and to any business which plays CDs or has the radio on - even if it’s just as background music.
Mmmm…. Well, this is well and truly a record- breaker. As if there isn’t enough for licence holders to worry about…! Some- how I don’t believe the Performing Rights people have the slight- est intention of prosecuting absolutely anybody for playing radio music in their vehicle. What about nicking music off the internet, what about burning CDs for con- version to MP3 players, what else? Next they’ll be saying that nobody can sing in their own vehicle - or in the shower. Big Brother gone mad - Ed.
WORCESTER: TAXI PENALTY POINTS ‘TOOLENIENT’
A new penalty points scheme designed to keep a check on the city’s taxis may not be enough of a deterrent to drivers breaking the law, a city councillor has warned. Warndon councillor Alan Amos fears driv- ers could run up a string of offences and still remain on the road because the number of points needed for a driver to be punished is too high.
Under the scheme, which is similar to get- ting points on a normal driving licence, taxi drivers will be punished for offences ranging from refusing to pick up a fare, to taking passengers the long way round on a scale of between two and six points.
Fines would not be issued but once an
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individual reaches 20 penalty points over a rolling 12-month peri- od they could be called to appear in front of Worcester City Council’s licensing committee where they could lose their licence.
During a meeting of the committee on March 16, Cllr Amos said he was worried drivers could clock up three six point offences, and still carry on driving because they would not have reached the 20-point limit. “We have to remem- ber that these are criminal activities and are very serious,” he added. “By giving chances like this we have taken the deter- rent away. We still have the power to prosecute drivers over
these sorts of offences so I hope we will do that.”
Licensing officer Carl Baker eased Cllr Amos’ fears by insist- ing the council would continue to prosecute drivers and had the power to call them in front of the committee whenever they wished even if a driv- er had not reached 20 points.
“If you look at the points tariff you will see drink driving is only worth two points. Now obviously this is a very serious offence and we would certain- ly pull a driver in on it,” he told the Worcester Standard.
The licensing commit- tee unanimously approved the scheme which is now set to be implemented by the end of April.
TOUGHCHECKS FOR PROMLIMODRIVERS
Chauffeurs dropping off teenagers to school proms this summer will be challenged by licensing officials as part of a new get- tough approach on illegal limousine firms. The move comes after unlicensed drivers were found to be ferry- ing prom-goers around. There has also been a surge in com-
plaints that youngsters could be in danger from unvetted drivers. David Pattison, director of legal and licensing, told the Express and Star: “These cars tend to attract a more vul- nerable clientele so we are taking this extremely seriously. “We have written to all high schools across the district asking them
where their school proms will be held and we plan to post three officers at each venue to speak to limo drivers dropping off there. “Chauffeurs who can- not prove they are correctly licensed with either the council or the DfT will be inter- viewed under caution before potentially fac- ing criminal charges.”
BOURNEMOUTH: TAXITRIUMPH IN BATTLE FOR BUS STOPS
Cabbies in Bourne- mouth have won a bat- tle with the council to be allowed to drop off and pick up fares at bus stops without being fined. United Taxis fought for the exemption after the council’s camera car snapped drivers pulling up in bus stops.
Derek Heritage said that drivers try and avoid dropping people off on bus stops but sometimes it is the
only option - especial- ly for disabled, elderly and partially sighted customers.
It was revealed more than 1,300 fines were issued for parking near schools and at bus stops since patrols began, com- pared with 122 in the same time before use started in June 2009. Mr Heritage told the Bournemouth Daily Echo: “The council have agreed that a taxi can park at bus stops
providing it is reason- able for them to set down customers.” Cllr Robert Lawton, cabinet member for environment and transport, said: “We have worked with rep- resentatives of the taxi trade on this matter and will be continuing our discussions to cre- ate a formal quality taxi partnership, effec- tively producing a Code of Conduct that will be binding on both parties.”
TELFORD AND WREKIN: FIRSTTACTILE PLATES INCOUNTRY
Telford and Wrekin Council are the first council in the country to introduce tactile licence plates to the inside of their licensed fleet of hackney car- riage vehicles.
The council’s licensing team have introduced the tactile plates to enable blind and visual- ly impaired passengers to identify the licensed vehicle they are in. This is to help them feel safer and enables them to easily give feedback about a particular vehi- cle or driver to the licensing team.
These plates have both raised tactile let- tering and numbers, as well as Braille char- acters to allow easier
recognition for cus- tomers with visual impairments.
The plates are a new idea designed by VIP- System Limited in conjunction with the Royal National Institute for the Blind (RNIB). They are designed to be secured to the inside of the rear pas- senger doors.
The plates have been given the ‘RNIB Refer- ence’ award for product design and the RNIB fully support and endorse their use. Graeme Brodie, of VIP- System Limited said: “We congratulate Telford and Wrekin Council for their approach concerning the public safety of
blind and partially sighted people in their local community and look forward to positive feedback from users.” Cllr Miles Hosken, Cabinet Member for Community Protection and Cohesion, said: “Telford and Wrekin Council is proud to be the first council in the country to install this piece of equipment. It is important to us that we provide safe, reli- able and fair services to all residents and vis- itors to the area. This is a revolutionary idea that assists people with visual impair- ments use hackney carriages licensed in the borough, with con- fidence.”
PHTM APRIL 2010
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