East Cambridgeshire taxis not required to install CCTV
The authority consulted with taxi drivers and members of the public
Taxis drivers in East Cambridgeshire will not be required to install CCTV in their cars.
East Cambridgeshire District Council has decided there is not enough evidence to support making CCTV mandatory for the taxis licensed in the area.
The authority consulted with taxi drivers and members of the public on potentially requiring CCTV in taxis.
While it only received 35 responses, officer’s said the “overwhelming response” from taxi drivers was that they currently felt safe at work, with only 20 per cent indicating they would support mandatory CCTV.
The majority of the members of the public who responded to the consultation said they currently felt safe using taxis, but four people did say they may use taxis more if mandatory CCTV was introduced.
Witcham Parish Council also wrote to the district council to say it thought mandatory CCTV in taxis would be “beneficial”.
However, the Licensed Private Hire Car Association wrote to the district council raising its concerns about making CCTV a mandatory requirement in taxis.
The group said it was not anti CCTV, but was against the “blanket mandating” of its use.
They raised concerns about the cost to drivers of buying and installing the CCTV, saying this was estimated to cost over £500, as well as raising concerns over data management, and privacy.
The group also said some of its drivers had indicated that mandating CCTV was a “burden they could not survive” and could lead to drivers leaving the trade.
Officers told councillors at a meeting of the district council’s licensing committee this week (September 4), that the licensed taxi drivers in East Cambridgeshire were “very professional and very compliant” and said there were few issues raised with the authority because of this.
They added that due to the “lack of evidence of an overwhelming underlying issue”, they suggested mandatory CCTV would be “disproportionate” and should not go ahead at this time.
Councillor Mark Inskip said he was a little disappointed at the number of people who responded to the district council’s consultation, but said he supported the officer’s suggestion.
He said it was “difficult to see a strong case” to bring in a mandatory CCTV policy.
Councillor Christine Ambrose Smith said she believed mandatory CCTV would create a “considerable cost” for drivers.
However, she said while serious incidents where CCTV in taxis could have helped had not happened so far in the district, she said this did not mean it could not happen.
She said: “We do not know someone next week is not going to be raped, or in two months time a child might be abducted. Just because it has not happened to date, does not mean it won’t happen in the near future.
“I see the merits, but I can also see the problems that this would cause.”
Ultimately the committee councillors voted unanimously to agree that the evidence fell short at this time to mandate CCTV in taxis.
However, the committee did agree to update the wording of its policy for taxi drivers who choose to install CCTV, including that it would be a requirement for a driver to provide the footage to the district council, or the police, if lawfully requested.