Taxi Driver Online

Now if we had a National and regional licensing system we would all be allowed CCTV, in line with those areas that already have them. Do Bolton councillors know best or will they wait until someone is murdered before they allow it? The soluition for Bolton is simple, councillors should pass the condition and leave drivers to install their own council approved equipment.
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Bolton News

October 12, 2006 Thursday

HEADLINE: Robbery sparks cab camera call

BYLINE: Rob Devey

A TAXI driver robbed by a man wielding a screwdriver has renewed calls for CCTV cameras to be installed in Bolton cabs.

Mohammed Parvez, aged 38, told how he is scared of working in the town after he was targeted in Nelson Square at 6.15pm on Sunday.

Five men approached his cab and, while one threatened him with the screwdriver, another opened the cab door and grabbed cash.

It is the second time Mr Parvez, a father-of-four from Great Lever, has been robbed in nine years working as a driver in Bolton.

He said: "I would support the idea of fitting cameras - it would improve safety for drivers.

"The robbery was very frightening, I didn't know what was going on. We should be able to go out and earn a living without feeling our lives are at risk."

Mr Parvez's call is echoed by Charles Oakes of the Bolton Hackney Association and Sajid Bax of the Private Hire Association. They want the taxi licensing authority - Bolton Council - to help install CCTV in town cabs.

Mr Oakes said Bolton Council's environmental regulation committee had voted for cameras to be installed more than three years ago, and the decision was backed by full council.

But he said this had not been followed by action.

He said: "Attacks on drivers are coming thick and fast. If it's not bricks and stones being thrown at the cabs it's personal attacks on drivers. They have even had their vehicles broken into outside their own homes.

"Local people seem to have a vendetta against taxi drivers. Something needs to be done. We need an in-cab CCTV system that will stand up in court. Not enough of these people are caught."

A Bolton Council spokeswoman said a CCTV scheme in 2003 failed to develop beyond a pilot project because of difficulties in funding, "legal issues over filming" and the unwillingness of vehicle owners to contribute financially.

She added: "To date there is no change in this situation. We understand the taxi drivers' concerns, but as a licensing authority we are not obliged to install cameras in the privately owned vehicles or indeed to fund them.

"While the Council is still willing to assist in exploring and developing any further initiatives, the onus would still be with vehicle owners to pay for any CCTV camera installations."

Taxi drivers wishing to install CCTV in their vehicles would have to apply to Bolton Council's licensing committee for approval. Greater Manchester Police is investigating the robbery.
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Your making that bit up

CC

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

If you notice, only certain councils drag their feet in allowing Taxi drivers the right to what other sectors of industry including buses now see as standard security. The problem is however that those certain councils are probably in a majority.

Your reaction is interesting because we all understand that such a decision would be based on the flip of a coin. Heads I win tails you lose. However considering the DfT has never voiced an opinion against cameras in buses or indeed in cabs, it would be reasonable to assume that they do not oppose this type of security measure. The So called national organisations representing the Taxi trade which includes the association you belong to, should have written to the DfT long ago demanding they take action by making councils aware of the increasing dangers to Taxi drivers and that onboard security cameras should be a priority.

Wouldn't it be great if all these organisations who represent the Taxi trade had the balls to publish every document they ever sent to the DfT supposedly for the greater good of the Taxi trade and on our behalf.

It wouldn't surprise me in the least to find that letters on quantity control of Taxis far outweighed every other issue and by a very large margin.

Get your act together Mr Deagen because from where I'm sitting the NTA is not doing a very good job.

Regards

JD

I think you'll find funding for cameras in many areas is outside of the LA remit and totally within the remit of CDRP's.

For your information the NTA have tried on at least two separate occasions to get the home office to speak to conference on the issue of taxi driver safety and CDRP schemes (and how they can benefit the taxi and PH trades).

The response from the Home Office is that nobody is able to speak on such schemes as the schemes are localised and differ from area to area.

Which is I'm afraid total b*llocks, as someone, somewhere along the line should be in charge of overseeing such schemes. unfortunately, it isnt considered a good approach telling government they are making a b*llocks of something. (they are rather more diplomatic than moi )

As I stated in my initial critique, you're making theat bit up, because the simple answer is, and has been explained above.

I dont see where the DFT come into all of this. The crime issue belongs to the Home Office, as does funding.

I am sure Mr. Deegan is very much aware of the problem.

However, as the NTA conference is about 8 days away, and government will be there, if you attend, I am sure the relevant people would be delighted to answer your question.

regards

CC

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

Didn't I say owners should "install their own council approved equipment"? I made no reference to such equipment being funded by anyone else.



I would have thought the NTA might have brought it to the attention of the DfT considering they issue best practice to councils. We already know individual councils have a mind of their own and that is why we need to take licensing away from these people.



Drivers aren't looking for conference speeches, they are looking for action and they want that action today not next year, or in ten years time. Pressure is the name of the game and if you don't get reasonable responses to reasonable requests then you find other means of remedying the situation. The problem with the NTA and T&G is that they haven't got a clue how to produce the goods.

It appears to me that as long as the NTA and the T&G are keeping their "restricted" flock happy the issues that really matter for Taxi drivers can take a back seat.

Regards

JD

With the greatest respect JD, double bollox.

Pressure is the name of the game and if you don't get reasonable responses to reasonable requests then you find other means of remedying the situation.

Aye such as?

The problem with the NTA and T&G is that they haven't got a clue how to produce the goods.

Yes your possibly right, why dont you pull the trigger and find out

Drivers aren't looking for conference speeches, they are looking for action and they want that action today not next year, or in ten years time.

I knid of think the conference is a useful way of getting the government to make commitments or at least giving a strong point of view from the trade.

I kind of think I would have liked the M6 many years ago, but there you go

regards

CC

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

I fully expect you to defend the NTA and I give you credit for that but the bottom line is and I know people on here will back me up on this and that is we don't want or need meaningless speeches from Ministers or anyone else for that matter? What we need is action but we wont get action until those who represent us such as the NTA get their finger out and show some initiative in taking the issue forward and saying hey! "This won't do, we need it sorting out and we need it sorting out now".

You talk about "jaw, jaw" as being the best way forward, no doubt that might apply if you have something to negotiate but driver Safety is not about negotiation. Its about asking the DfT to put pressure on councils to allow the installation of security equipment that just might have the effect of saving lives.

A great deal of good it will do to ask the home office to send a non person to a conference to talk about security in Taxis when the home office can do nothing whatsoever in respect of cameras in vehicles. It might be convenient to fill a half hour gap in the NTA conference time-table but it does nothing for the drivers out there who are constantly being intimidated, beaten up and seriously injured.

You say a conference is a good way of getting commitments from Governments, I say persistence and the moral ground is a good way of getting Government action. Taxi drivers aren't prepared to wait 12 months to hear what a Government junior Minister might have to say, they want representatives who know what they are talking about and are prepared to go that extra mile to achieve their goal. The NTA and the T&G and to some extent the G&B outside of London is shackled by people who's only major consideration is to keep quantity controls at all cost. Everything else seems to be immaterial.

Regards

JD

Now don't fall off your seat, but I totally agree with you, except for the business of oversupply.

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Justice for the 96. It has only taken 27 years...........repeat the same lies for 27 years and the truth sounds strange to people!