Cambridge Council Could Delay Taxi CCTV

Cambridge City Council may postpone taxi CCTV following protests.

18:27 10 April 2023

On March 15, drivers gathered outside the South Cambridgeshire District Council's headquarters in Cambourne to protest against the mandatory installation of CCTV in their taxis. The local council required all taxi drivers applying for a license to install the device in their vehicles starting April 2023. 

However, following the protest, the Cambridge City Council released a statement confirming plans to push back the deadline. A spokesperson said: “Following concerns from the taxi trade about the timescales for implementation, a decision will be made at Monday’s Licensing Committee on recommendations to postpone the need to install CCTV until September.”

Ahmed Karaahmed, Chairman of Cambridge City Licenced Taxis, said that the deadline was not realistic in the first place. He said: “A week to go there would will be hundreds of vehicles that will need CCTV to be implemented. There is only one provider in Cambridge who is able to do that, and they have written to Panther taxis to say they don’t have enough cameras to fit into the taxis. Most cameras are Chinese make and model, there are government guidelines saying that no UK company should be using Chinese make and model of CCTV in sensitive public areas.”

Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Cambridge City Council, said: “Installing CCTV in taxis and private hire vehicles licensed in Cambridge will be a boost to safety for both customers and drivers.

“As taxi licensing authority, the council has a number of objectives, including the safety and protection of the public, vehicle safety, prevention of crime and protection of drivers – all of which will help to be met by the installation of CCTV in the vehicles it licenses. Introducing CCTV for all licensed vehicles will also ensure there is supporting evidence for any criminal or enforcement investigations into customers’ or drivers’ actions or behaviour while the vehicles are operational."