PPE UPDATE...PPE UPDATE...PPE
BLACKBURN WITH DARWEN COUNCIL TO PAY FOR SAFETY SCREENS
Blackburn with Dar- wen Council has agreed to fit all taxis and PHVs with safe- ty screens to pro- tect drivers and pas- sengers from covid. 1,120 hackneys and PHVs will have the safety measure, costing £64,000, which will be funded by council tax pay- ers. Taxi and PHV drivers would be responsible for re- placing the screen as and when it becomes necessary.
The decision to pay for purchase and fit- ting of the pro- tective transparent p o l y c a r b o n a t e screens was taken by council environ- ment director Martin Eden. Mr Eden said in a report: “Taxi drivers have been identified as a key risk BAME group, due to their likely rate of exposure to Covid-19 and poten- tial to transmit the virus to their cus- tomers.
“Estimates for Black- burn with Darwen suggest that drivers take approximately 30 to 35 journeys per shift and could work up to two shifts per day. One driver could there- fore come into contact with any- where from 30 to over 200 customers per day “The screens also offer some protec- tion to drivers from abusive behaviour as some drivers
MASKS COMPULSORY ON WELSH PUBLIC TRANSPORT: INCLUDING TAXIS
Face coverings must be worn on public transport in Wales - including taxis - from July 27. First Minister Mark Drakeford made the announcement at the Welsh Govern- ment’s daily press conference on 13 July. He said: “For the sake of simplici- ty and consistency,
as well as being part of our plan to help reduce the risk of transmission while on public transport where it is not always possible to maintain a 2m phys- ical distance, it will become mandatory for people to wear a three-layer
face
covering while trav- elling – this includes
taxis. The require- ment to wear a face covering on public transport will come into effect from 27 July.” The First Minister said he was not making face cover- ings mandatory in other public places but this may change if there is a spike in cases.
ALL WOLVERHAMPTON LICENSED DRIVERS TO WEAR FACE MASKS
Following specialist opinion from Public Health, Wolver- hampton Council- licensed drivers have been advised that they should wear a face-cover- ing at all times when passengers are in- side their vehicle. Passengers travel- ling within the vehicle must use a face-covering unless
72
they have a medical condition prevent- ing the use of face coverings. Where a face cover- ing cannot be worn for medical reasons, the passenger is expected to sit in the rear of the vehi- cle. Windows should where practicable, be open for the entire journey to provide adequate
ventilation. On those occasions when a driver is asked to prove his identity, the face- covering may be tem- porarily removed. The definition of a “face mask” is a pro- tective mask cov- ering the nose and mouth not a “scarf” or other “material” that is not designed for the purpose.
have been spat at and there are signif- icant risks for drivers if this hap- pens during the pandemic.” Cllr Rigby said: “This is a good idea but why is the council
paying for it rather than the drivers or their firms? They are, or work for, pri- vate businesses.” Blackburn with Dar- wen
Council
environment boss Cllr Jim Smith said
“It is a matter of people’s safety, as simple as that. Drivers are more at risk of contracting coronavirus so this will protect them and their passen- gers from infection.”
FACE MASKS TO BE MADE MANDATORY IN DARLINGTON TAXIS
Darlington Borough Council’s licensing committee has enforced the wear- ing of face coverings by drivers and pas- sengers in taxis, after hearing many passengers and taxi drivers wanted them to be made manda- tory. A meeting of the committee heard that DfT guidance was unclear, as it stated passengers
“should” wear a face covering, but that those who did not would not be pun- ished. Councillor Cyndi Hughes said there were concerns that the government had made masks man- datory on other forms of public transport but not so for taxis and PHVs, unlike in Wales and Scotland. She said guidance
that taxi drivers could refuse passen- gers without a mask was difficult for taxi drivers due to finan- cial consequences. The meeting heard taxi drivers also feared facing disci- plinary action for refusing fares, but leading licensing lawyers had stated that refusing fares on the grounds of no face masks was a legitimate reason.
SAFETY SCREENS GET GO-AHEAD IN CHELTENHAM TAXIS AND PHVS
Cabbies in Chel- tenham can install safety screens in their vehicles after Cheltenham Bor- ough Council’s cab- inet agreed to change policy to allow licensed taxi and PHV drivers to voluntarily fit them if they choose to. The council said that the policy is de- signed to provide taxi and private hire drivers with the con- fidence they need to return to work. According to a report, the council sent out 1,000 let-
ters as part of a consultation with the taxi trade. It received 51 replies, 35 of which were opposed to screens, citing concerns some insurance providers would not allow their installation. However, the policy is discretionary, so drivers can decide whether or not to install a screen, and customers
can
decide whether or not to use a vehicle without one. Speaking in the council meeting, Cllr Andrew McKinlay
said: “This policy does not make pro- tective screens man- datory as there is no Government legisla- tion which allows that and also there was significant op- position from the consultees to that. “So we will have a mixed fleet. Some drivers will have screens, some won’t, depending on their circumstances and their own view.” The authority’s cab- inet unanimously backed the propos- als in the meeting on 7 July.
AUGUST 2020
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112
