NPHTA CONTINUES TO THE TIME FOR WAITING IS OVER
For many months now, no, many years, we have seen drivers attacked, robbed, stabbed, maimed, hospitalised, killed, scarred for life throughout the entire UK.
We have also seen the volume of false allegations massively on the rise, with drivers being deactivated, losing their licences, or even being imprisoned!
We have been reporting on it for decades, but more so in recent months and years, with the severity of attacks hugely increasing. But who is at fault here? What can we do to stop it, or at least reduce it?
In truth, everyone is at fault: councils, government, police, courts, CPS, and yes, drivers too. So in this article I am going to spell it out in a little more detail, with a call to action from all angles. If any of you are offended by some of the points raised, or the fingers of blame being aimed at you; then I make absolutely no apologies at all, readers, members, drivers, are quite literally dying out there, and it simply must stop and stop now.
GOVERNMENT
I have to say, having watched Parliamentary TV this week, I was delighted to hear every single MP who spoke on the subject of the taxi and private hire industry and its drivers and operators, spoke very highly of the trade, and made it abundantly clear that they are fully aware that the “bad apples” within our industry are very much a small minority. In fact many of them had their own examples of how vital our services are to them and their own families, and recited some of the great initiatives taken by our industry in general.
But when we read the documents issued, such as the Statutory Standards of July 2020, which declared how bad all drivers are, and how by introducing these new stan-
dards, it was hoped that there would be more prosecutions: “Reducing the risk of harm posed to children and vulnerable passengers in the process – following historic serious cases of taxi and PHV drivers abusing their position of trust.”
That is sending out a very clear message that all existing drivers are likely to be child abusers and “abuse their position of trust” - a disgusting message to send out to the general public.
LOCAL LICENSING AUTHORITIES
Whilst “some” are very supportive, sadly most are not and have the very same disgusting messaging being sent out to the public. A very large percentage of “licensing and enforcement units” have rebranded and called that very same department “the public protection department”. What exactly are you protecting the public from?
All drivers are subject to an enhanced DBS disclosure. They are all medically checked to the same standards as those driving HGVs and buses. They are all tested on their driving abilities, and frequently checked and examined - so again what exactly are you protecting the public from? That name needs to be dropped with immediate effect!!
Your licence holders are the ones making sure people actually get home safe, they are the public protection offi- cers, you merely process and issue licences!
DO YOU THINK THAT’S BAD?
The following is from a council published document for all the public to see, read, digest, and reach their own conclusions:
“Mr A has been arrested twice due to his vehicle being used to transport drugs”
6
FEBRUARY 2022
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