Views sought on CCTV in taxis.
Telford & Wrekin Council is asking people if they think CCTV would help them feel safer in taxis, by way of a survey launched today.
The public consultation starts today (Friday, June 30) will run for eight weeks and comes as a result of industry standards set out by The Department for Transport (DfT).
The survey will provide evidence to help the council decide if mandatory CCTV in taxis could improve overall safety.
Deputy leader of the council and cabinet member for homes & enforcement, Councillor Richard Overton said: “Safety of the people who live and work in Telford is paramount and CCTV may offer benefits for both passengers and drivers – but only if its something people think is necessary.
“Reported incidents involving Telford & Wrekin Council licensed taxis is low and CCTV is one tool we could use. As a collaborative council, we won’t proceed with any decisions until we have spoken with taxi users, owners and drivers to see where the evidence leads us.
“I would urge as many people as possible who have any involvement with taxis, to complete the survey, so we can make an informed decision.”
Telford & Wrekin Council currently has a voluntary CCTV policy in place for taxi’s and secured some external funding to launch the pilot scheme.
To date, 25 licensed vehicles have been fitted with CCTV as part of a completed pilot scheme. Going forward, the unit cost is approximately £800, payable by drivers.
The DfT's view is that “the use of CCTV can provide a safer environment for the benefit of taxi/private hire vehicle passengers and drivers,” and has asked councils to consider demand locally. No funding announcements have been made by the DfT.
To complete the survey, you can access it directly here https://online1.snapsurveys.com/adk6pd and to read more please visit https://www.telford.gov.uk/cctvsurvey
