CCTV plans for taxis taking SEND pupils to school

Taxis in Barnsley have been fitted with CCTV cameras

Taxis transporting pupils with special needs and disabilities (SEND) could be fitted with CCTV to protect the passengers and drivers.

Barnsley Council said the CCTV would be an added level of safeguarding for families but would also reassure drivers if they faced "challenging behaviour".

Last year the council spent £173,500 installing CCTV in Hackney carriages.

There was surplus funding so the council said it was looking to expand the scheme to private-hire taxis which take pupils with SEND to school.

A council report said: "A pilot scheme installed CCTV in all of our Hackney carriage vehicles.

"The main aim is to increase both driver and passenger safety and encourage more drivers to work at unsociable times.

"It will also reassure drivers if customers demonstrate challenging behaviours.

"It is proposed to offer the installation of CCTV to our private-hire vehicles that hold home-to-school transport contracts.

"This group of drivers experiences similar concerns regarding challenging behaviours."

There are 75 private-hire drivers with home-to-school transport contracts who would be offered the CCTV.

During a council consultation, several drivers backed the idea.

One said: "I fully support CCTV as a means of enhancing both passenger and driver safety.

"It can act as an effective deterrent against unacceptable behaviour and provides valuable evidence if incidents occur."

Another said: "All taxis transporting children to and from school on council contracts should have cameras for the safety of the child and the driver.

"You have my full support, I've been a taxi in Barnsley for more than 10 years and always had a camera."

The council said it needed to balance people's right to privacy with safeguarding drivers and the public.

The plan will be discussed at a meeting of the council's cabinet on 26 November.

Listen to highlights from South Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North