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In my opinion advertising on cabs is a seperate issue to that of being allowed to install cctv inside cabs.
The first priority is the safety of the driver and councilors should approach that problem with clarity. They should first concede that there is a danger and then agree if CCTV would help alleviate that danger? Many local authorities and in particular the police are of the opinion that CCTV is an asset in crime prevention, it therefore shouldn't be that hard for councillors to address the question of whether or not CCTV should be allowed in cabs?
Once councillors have reached a decision all they need to consider is whether to allow drivers to fit their own CCTV equipment which can be accessed by themselves or whether the equipment should only be accessible to the police and council enforcement bodies? The cost of installation should not be placed at the door of the local council, nor in my opinion should they be allowed to dictate the type of equipment we can purchase.
We all know the rules under the data protection act so a council cannot hide behind the excuse of civil liberties. They should say, "yea or nay" and where they say nay, their unreasonable decision should be appealed to a magistrates court, in order that we can get this issue sorted out once and for all.
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Proposals to allow taxi firms to advertise on their vehicles to pay for security measures have been deferred.
A meeting of Bradford Council's regulatory and appeals committee decided to delay a decision on the issue to allow time for more information to be collected.
Committee members considered a report on how to amend regulations to allow advertising on hackney carriage and private hire vehicles.
Firms in Keighley, including Metro Keighley Taxis, have been campaigning for changes to the current conditions of licence which ban taxis from selling advertising space.
The firms want to use the cash generated by adverts to install security cameras and protective screens for both drivers and passengers.
The push to get these changes implemented picked up momentum following the murder of Keighley taxi driver Mahmood Ahmed, in April, last year.
Councillors on the committee said they were happy to see adverts on council-regulated taxis. But they disagreed with the high number of conditions imposed on the initiative.
They deferred their decision in order to investigate making spending advertising revenue on security a condition and to make the existing proposed conditions less restrictive.
The committee meets again on August 1, though a council spokesman said it might not reconsider taxi advertising until September.
In a report to last Wednesday's committee meeting, David Webster, the council's head of business services, proposed a series of limitations on where taxis could advertise.
He suggested saloon taxis could only be allowed to advertise on both rear doors, while people carriers would only be permitted to use the doors or panel at the back.
The rules would also allow adverts on the back of seats - or underneath tip-up seats. Television-style adverts could be allowed on screens on the back or front seat headrests.
No adverts for escort agencies, gaming establishments or massage parlours would be allowed, alongside a ban on promoting drugs, alcohol or tobacco.
Stuart Hastings, of Metro Keighley, said only allowing adverts on taxis' rear doors would be a "waste of time".
"It just wouldn't be worth it," he said.
"It would raise a very small amount which would only cover the cost of placing the advert there in the first place.
"What's the reason for this type of restriction? We want to be like Leeds and Manchester where they can advertise freely.
"And, of course, we don't want to put any sorts of adverts on the vehicles which could create a bad impression with the public."
Advertising on taxis has also won the support of Keighley police.
Insp Mark Allsop, who heads Keighley Neighbourhood Policing Team, said: "I think it's an excellent idea. If it was allowed and taxi firms could raise the money for cameras, it would make life a lot safer for drivers and passengers.
"The evidence that we, the police, could get from CCTV would make it much easier for us to deal with anti-social behaviour in taxis."
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