Councillor calls for mandatory cameras in taxis

Councillor Joan McTigue says CCTV would safeguard passengers, drivers and the council

A councillor is calling for mandatory cameras in taxis to protect both drivers and passengers.

Middlesbrough councillor and licensing committee member Joan McTigue said there had been several "concerning" cases heard behind closed doors, resulting in drivers being stripped of their licences.

At a recent licensing committee meeting, Ms McTigue said CCTV footage would help in decision making.

A retired taxi driver from Middlesbrough said it would be a valuable safety tool and could also help police gather evidence in their investigations.

Middlesbrough Council and the chair of the licensing committee, councillor Linda Lewis, both declined to comment.

"I know there are a lot of taxi drivers who take vulnerable teenagers on their own and we, as a local authority, should say you can’t have a licence unless they have cameras installed," Ms McTigue said.

"It’s not just the children the dash cams protect, it’s drivers too."

'Good idea'

Ms McTigue said she was told drivers had training but she said "training isn’t going to prevent things happening".

"You could ask any parent of any child and they would think it was a good idea. It’s safeguarding the child, the driver and the council," she said.

Retired taxi driver, Ian McPherson, agreed it was a "good idea all round".

"You hear all these stories about females being accosted and drivers are accosted too," he told the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Mr McPherson was a taxi driver for more than 40 years and said he was attacked several times in his line of work, once requiring overnight hospital treatment for concussion after being punched in the head by a passenger.

Several local authorities have taken the decision to mandate CCTV systems, as a way to further safeguard passengers and drivers.

According to the Office for National Statistics, taxi drivers are among the most at-risk occupations for experiencing violence while at work.