...STAKEOUT
BIRMINGHAM CABBIES’ SAFETY IS ‘A TOP PRIORITY’
Council licensing bosses have said the safety of the city’s taxi drivers was a priority. They were discussing a report by the West Mid- lands Police Taxi Advisory Group, which was set up following the killing of 36-year- old Mohammed Arshad, who was repeatedly stabbed in the head in a country
lane after picking up a passenger in July 2009. Licensing manager Emma Rohomon told a committee meeting that drivers felt strong- ly they should have CCTV in their cars. Calls to install the cam- eras, along with driver shields, were made in a discussion focusing on driver safety and security at one of its
monthly meetings at police headquarters. Cllr Bruce Lines told the Birmingham Mail: “We are prioritising the safety of drivers just as much as the public. We always have done; we always will do.” But Sue Barton (Con, Longbridge) said: “Who’s going to pick up the bill for CCTV cameras and shields?”
CCTV BID TO PREVENT ATTACKS IN KIRKLEES
Spy cameras could be installed in taxis in a £28,000 Kirklees scheme to help cut the number of attacks on drivers.
The council cabinet has approved a pilot scheme which could see the cameras installed in 100 cabs. Drivers would have to match any council funds. Police say there were 425 hate crimes against drivers between November 2008 and
September 2009 in West Yorkshire. The cameras would take a shot of passengers as they enter the cab, with another shot every 20 seconds. The driver would also have a panic button triggering more shots. Similar schemes have already been successfully implemented in Leeds, Newcastle and Sheffield. Cllr Peter O’Neill, cabi- net member for safer communities, told the
Yorkshire Evening Post: “Judging by the results of similar schemes introduced elsewhere there should be an immediate and reduc- tion in the number of crimes committed against taxi drivers.” Councillors agreed that preference would be given to drivers who had already expe- rienced serious incidents, plus those who operated escort services for vulnerable passengers.
NEW BID TO STAMP OUT FARE DODGING IN COVENTRY
A police crackdown on taxi fare dodgers has swung into gear after cabbies complained of being attacked and abused.
The new zero-tolerance policy was launched in Coventry in December and police say they plan to routinely stop taxis in the city to ensure safety.
A greater emphasis will be placed on pros- ecuting fare dodgers after Coventry Taxi Drivers’ Association said they were being left vulnerable to drunken passengers. Alias Yousef, chairman of Coventry Taxi Drivers’ Association, told the Coventry Telegraph: “Fare-dodging is a mas- sive problem with
drivers getting threat- ened and attacked.” Cabbies will be encouraged to imme- diately report fare-dodgers and any violence will be treated as a 999 emergency. The association has threatened to take Coventry City Council to court after it ordered all black cabs in the city to remove their safety grilles. Drivers staged a protest outside Coven- try railway station in October to voice fears over safety and are cur- rently conducting an independent enquiry into the modifications. Mr Yousuf added: “Coventry City Council have taken away the protection for the taxi
FEBRUARY 2010 PHTM
driver with the metal grids. This gives us some kind of extra protection. It’s a deter- rent, really.”
Stickers are being put in all taxis in the city warning of the crack- down and the scheme will be rolled out across the rest of the West Midlands. Sergeant Nigel Pagdin, taxi liaison officer at Coventry’s Little Park Street station, said: “Making off without payment is an offence and will be taken more seriously from now on. Basically, it’s a case of ‘don’t even bother’. Taxi drivers have a hard enough job to do and we’ll do anything we can as a force to help make that easier.”
SUNDERLAND CABBIES BID TO GET CCTV CAMERAS
Cabbies are being asked to report violent attacks in a bid to win funding for in-car CCTV cameras.
A group representing independent drivers wants to have the secu- rity devices installed in taxis across Sunder- land to stop attacks on drivers and improve passenger safety. But each unit of a cam- era and a hard-drive costs about £800, put- ting them out of the price range of most drivers.
Now the Independent Hackney Carriage Operators of Sunder- land (IHCOS) is asking taxi drivers and passen- gers to come forward
with their tales of woe. They are putting together a file of inci- dents where CCTV would have helped the driver or the customer - from people making off without payment, rude cabbies or traffic collisions. Two IHCOS members already have cameras in their cars and say they have handed footage to the police in relation to about eight incidents.
Cabbies as well as customers have been asked to call IHCOS on 07804 059940 with their stories. They will be asked to write a short statement, which will handed to Sunder-
land City Council. It is then hoped the council will help them access grants from other organisations. IHCOS would like to see CCTV installed in all taxis and PHVs in the city.
One founder member, Graham Storey,
told
the Sunderland Echo: “We’ve had some very positive comments, with people in the car asking if they book a CCTV cab to pick their daughters up, to make sure they are safe. “It’s for the protection of both the passenger and the driver, in case of assaults, robberies or people running from fares.”
CCTV COULD END VIOLENCE IN GLOUCESTER’S CABS
Calls have been made to install CCTV cam- eras in Gloucester’s taxis.
Cabbies in the city say the measure would keep them safe from late-night attacks and discourage people from running off with- out paying. Alan Wood has been a taxi driver in Glouces- ter for the past eight years and said he would love to see cam- eras fitted in his cab. He told the Gloucester Citizen: “Putting CCTV cameras in the cab is a great idea and I would do it if I could afford to. We have had problems in the past where customers have done a runner and not paid, and I’m sure they would think twice about doing so if they knew they were on camera. “A subsidy from the council would be great but I can’t see it hap- pening to be honest.” Another taxi driver in Gloucester, who didn’t wish to be named, said: “CCTV would be bril- liant but I can’t afford
that. If the council paid that would be great, I’d be first in the queue.” A spokesperson for Gloucester City Council said: “We hold a range of meetings with taxi and private hire drivers
and this is not some- thing that has been discussed in those. “However, when they raise it we will be happy to sit down and discuss the matter with them.”
PAGE 65
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
