ATTACKS...SUSPENSIONS PROTECT YOURSELVES, YOUR LICENCE AND YOUR
Yes, that is an immensely powerful heading, and with good reason; nationwide reports of vile racial abuse and unprovoked violent attacks on members of our trade are rising at an alarming rate and there have also tragically been two drivers murdered this year - Gabriel Bringye in London in February and Malik Ali Asghar last month in Rochdale.
WE ARE A HIGH-RISK OCCUPATION!
It gives us no pleasure at all to say: “I told you so”, but the fact remains, PHTM and NPHTA have been banging on about driver safety for some time and we predicted that the situation would only get worse coming out of lockdown. Indeed, it is now so bad out there that drivers have been striking, protesting and organisations have been set up to specifically deal with this matter such as:
https://www.catch-hatecrime.org.uk/tell-mama
In reality, members of our trade are abused and assaulted on a daily basis. Many episodes go unreported but sadly some attacks are extremely severe, leaving drivers with long term physical and/or psychological problems and yet there is lim- ited police support and minimal media coverage. When police do attend, we see statements issued such as: “We are appeal- ing for witnesses,” or if the attackers are caught, they are frustratingly given light sentences, community service orders or even acquitted by the courts due to “lack of evidence.”
Recently it was widely reported that the government was suggesting implementing automatic life sentences for any attacks on police and health care workers. Whilst we are not and would never undermine the seriousness of those attacks, we simply MUST ask the question; what about those who attack our workforce!
We still see licensing policies and government statutory standards only talking about “protecting the public” meaning passengers/attackers; so where is our trade’s support?
Why are we once again #theforgottenindustry? SUSPENSIONS and REVOCATIONS
There has also been an increase in the numbers of drivers appearing in front of licensing committees across the country, based on nothing more than an allegation. This often results in the drivers’ licence being suspended or revoked based on a lack of defence, since it is the driver’s word against their accusers.
Councils can only consider civil law (balance of probabili- ties) and the instruction that “where the decision is 50/50, the licence should not be issued or should be taken away”.
We have personally and directly heard several licensing officers openly state: “We are aware that many such allegations are false, but our hands are tied” and in truth, they are correct due to the role of all local authorities to prioritise “public safety.” But we (and they) MUST remember that drivers are also members of the public. The issue is of course that once a council has suspended or revoked a licence, whether that is hackney carriage or private hire, or even a private hire operator, then that person may not continue working in that role for anyone, nor may they drive any licensed vehicle.
FALSE ACCUSATIONS!
Whilst we accept that sadly there is a small number of our trade that do commit offences, some very serious, we are also aware of the fact that a growing number of our drivers are accused and the allegations are TOTALLY UNTRUE. Without CCTV evidence these drivers would have certainly lost their licence or even worse been sent to prison.
Here are some examples: • Driver attacked by two girls as soon as they got into his vehicle, the attacks and assaults continued whilst driving
10
DECEMBER 2021
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