Taxi Driver Online

Taxi drivers will be left to fork out up to £600 on CCTV in their cabs after Preston Council refused to fund their own proposals.

Plans were put forward last week to install CCTV in 190 black cabs to “improve the safety and security of drivers and passengers”.

Drivers have demanded help with the cost, but council bosses have refused.

A council spokesperson said: “It’s only a recommendation that drivers may want to install CCTV.

"But as commercial operators they’re there to make a profit.

"It’s not the best use of tax payers money in a privately run business.”

The proposals were made at a meeting between trade chiefs and police last week. Concern for the safety of drivers has been rising since one had his ear bitten off in an early morning attack.

Eddie McClean gave up his job with a private hire firm two years ago following an attack. He recently began driving a black cab because the cars are safer.

He said: “I’ll be installing a system because I was attacked two weeks ago. About ten cabs I know of already have them; the one I’ve chosen is £600.

"There are cheaper ones but I want to feel safe.

"I was hoping the council would put some funding towards it and actually help us with the cost of doing it.

"They refuse to pay because we’re businesses but they admit themselves that it’s for passenger safety as much as our own.”

Robert Ward gave up driving after an attack and now works on a firm’s switchboard.

He said: “If you put CCTV in town centres it cuts crime rates so obviously this will have an effect. From the other point of view it also makes more women feel safe as passengers.

“If this is going to become a standard the council should be meeting at least half the costs; other councils around the country have managed to fund it with various partnerships and schemes.”

One of those is in Blackpool, where advertising space inside cabs has been used to fund surveillance systems.

The council added: “It would be good practice for drivers’ own safety and security and for passengers’ but we’re not suggesting it is compulsory.”

Plans will be finalised later this year.

source; http://www.clicklancashire.com/news/local-news/

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

£600 over three years works out around £4 a week.

Don't tell me that £4 a week is beyond anyone in the trade.

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IDFIMH

who said that lancashire post well there wrong again.

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C. Oakes


The Hackney Association Ltd
bbha@btinternet.com

And of course CCTV has really stopped crime happening in Britain today?

Whats the year on year rise? 7%?

I mean, all those fights and violence you see in town and city centres up and down the land isn't really happening is it? CCTV must have stopped all that?

I think I'll stick to my eyes and ears, with a P.B Taxi partition as a final back up.

I'll keep the £600 for my holiday.

It's moved the crime, in the main, to areas without CCTV.

Which is why CCTV in cab, again in the main, moves the crime to elsewhere.

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IDFIMH

Good Samaritans come to rescue of taxi driver

Neighbours told today how they rushed to the aid of a taxi driver who suffered an asthma attack as he was assaulted by a passenger.

Brothers Nick and Sunny Parmar heard cabbie Hussain Patel's cries for help as he was chased along Heaton Mount Avenue in Fulwood and attacked.

The pair, who were in bed at the time, ran outside and restrained the attacker in a neighbour's front garden.

Electrical contracts manager Nick, 25, said: "We were fast asleep and heard lots of shouting.

"My brother had a look out the window and saw the fighting.

"We managed to restrain the lad and called the police.

"Sunny's got a lot of bruises but got him on the floor. Then we gave the taxi driver a glass of water and called an ambulance."

The passenger, who was alone, had been picked up by Mr Patel, a driver for Miller's Taxis, from outside The Angel in Lune Street, Preston.

Mr Patel, 38, was taken to the Royal Preston Hospital for treatment for his asthma after the incident at 1am on Saturday, but was released hours later.

The father-of-two, who lives in Blackburn, also suffered cuts and bruises, has been left partially deaf and has suffered severe headaches since the incident.

He said: "He attacked me.

"He chased me, knocked me to the floor and was kicking me.

"I was having a really asthma attack and I couldn't breathe.

"If it wasn't for the lads, it would have been a lot worse."

Mr Patel is currently recovering at home and unable to work.

Sunny, a 21-year-old claims adviser, also suffered minor cuts.

Det Insp Jon Holmes of Preston CID said a 17-year-old from Preston, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was due to appear before Preston Youth Court on Tuesday March 30.

He is charged with causing actual bodily harm against Mr Patel and common assault.

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

So what should they have reported?



As shocking as this is why was the driver out of his vehicle?



Funding obviously deficient training courses is a good use of tax payers money?

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Note to self: Just because it pops into my head does NOT mean it should come out of my mouth!!