SECURITY STAKEOUT


NEWPORT DRIVER SAYS CAMERAS IN TAXIS ARE EXCELLENT


A taxi driver is backing a rape victim’s call to have CCTV cameras fitted in all cabs after a driver attacked her. As reported in last month’s PHTM, Asif Iqbal, 42, from New- port was handed a 12-year prison sen- tence for attacking two women he picked up while working as a taxi driver in Newport. After the court case, one of his victims said that attacks like hers could be pre- vented if all


taxis


were fitted with CCTV cameras. Abergavenny taxi driv- er Nigel Webb agrees. He voluntarily fitted a camera in the hackney carriage he and his wife Lynn drive for


their firm Nigel’s Taxis, after he was the victim of several incidents of verbal and physical abuse over his 30-year career. Mr Webb believes they are the only firm in Monmouthshire


to


have a camera fitted and is urging others to join him. He told the South Wales Argus: “The abuse we used to get was unbelievable, but now people know there is a camera there is none. “A lot of people say taxis should have one and as far as I’m con- cerned, it protects the passenger and the driver as well. It is the best £500 I’ve ever spent.”


The Llanfoist couple fitted the camera a year ago, after getting written


permission


from Monmouthshire Council. The camera cost £500 and is concealed with- in the car, providing footage of the back seats, as well as the front driver and pas- senger seats. It has night vision, can take stills and auto- matically starts up when the car’s ignition is turned on and con- tinues


minutes after


filming 15 the


engine is turned off. Passengers


are


advised they are being filmed via a sign inside the taxi, in compliance with the law.


WARRINGTON CABBIES LEFT TO TACKLE DRUNKS


Frustrated cabbies have accused police of leaving them to deal with abusive drunks. Bruno Beilizna, chair- man of Warrington Hackney Drivers and Owners Association, says drivers are left to face abuse, racism and fare-dodging at weekends. Despite an ongoing ini- tiative by police to encourage taxi drivers to report crime, Mr Bielizna still believes cabbies are vulnerable. He told the Warrington Guardian: “Drunks are a big problem and I think the police often just pass the problem on to us at weekends


to get them out of town.” he said. Veteran hackney driv- er Stephen Harper, from Callands, be- lieves the problem extends to the way courts deal with abu- sive passengers. The 51-year-old recently had to lock two drunks in his cab for refusing to pay the fare for their ride from Warrington to Leigh. Mr Harper drove the pair to a police station where they were arrest- ed, but not before they tried to kick open the doors and set fire to his cab. He said: “They were ordered to pay £200 but in instalments


of £5 a week, I just don’t think the justice system works.” Mr Harper called for the council to stump up part of the money raised from taxi licence fees to help hackney drivers install CCTV. Chief Superintendent Richard Strachan said: “In the early hours taxi drivers are the only means of getting home safely. Unfortunately, that means they are often the target of alco- hol-fuelled


abuse.


When drivers report incidents we take posi- tive action and will do all we can to trace those responsible and ensure they are punished.”


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A controversial plan to record all conversa- tions in Oxford’s taxis is to be looked at again. Oxford City Council is set to launch a “more extensive” consulta- tion which could lead to only video or audio recording, rather than both. As reported in PHTM, last year it approved the


compulsory


scheme after it was backed by two trade bodies. But deputy leader Ed Turner said concerns raised by drivers led the council to think again. He told the Oxford Mail: “The fact we are having another round of consultations sug- gests


the first


consultation with trade bodies wasn’t suffi- cient to get an accurate view. A council report backs more extensive con- sultation which could ask “whether either or both types of record-


ing should be intro- duced”. The council and trade leaders argue cam- eras are vital


to


provide evidence of attacks and allega- tions against drivers. But civil liberties cam- paigners claim the devices breach data protection guidelines and are an invasion of privacy. Alan Woodward, for- mer chairman of trade body City of Oxford Licensed Taxi Cab Association (Colta)- who led calls for the cameras but resigned amid criticism from some cabbies - said “one or two opposed the plans”. He said: “l had drivers in my office complain- ing about being attacked by passen- gers. We also had people complaining to the police about being attacked by drivers.” The association repre- sents 103 of the city’s 107 black cab drivers,


he said, and commit- tee leaders were elected each year. But private hire driver Khalil Ahmed, who organised a petition of more


than 270


opposed to the plan, said: “The council has never consulted the drivers. Colta never represented hackney carriage drivers prop- erly.” He said the 665 private hire drivers “never had a proper body”. Nick Pickles, director of campaign group Big Brother Watch, said: “We don’t need anoth- er drawn-out con- sultation, we need the council to drop this intrusive, illiberal poli- cy before any more damage is done to Oxford’s reputation.” The plan was put on hold pending an inquiry by the Informa- tion Commissioner’s Offiice which ordered the council to justify the legality of cam- eras.


PHTM JULY 2012


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