No Mandatory CCTV in Leeds Cabs

Leeds City Council will not make CCTV mandatory in taxis due to privacy concerns.

22:10 18 December 2019

Leeds City Council has encouraged taxi and private hire drivers to install CCTV systems in their vehicles. Despite getting overwhelming support and backing from all parties involved, the authority is not making CCTV mandatory due to concerns surrounding passenger and driver safety.

 

 

A Leeds City Council officer said: “There was a consensus that voluntary CCTV gives reassurance to the public and to drivers as a whole.

 

 

“But there is a trade off between security – or the perception of security – and privacy.

 

 

A report by council officers into the plans stated: “The [working] group also heard that generally drivers, operators and associations were in favour of CCTV in vehicles, that drivers felt safer, and less likely to be the victim of violence or malicious allegations. Some drivers had reported getting increased bookings from customers after they had fitted CCTV.”

 

 

The draft policy states: “This policy encourages the use of CCTV in taxis and PHVs licensed by Leeds City Council, but does not make it a mandatory requirement for taxi and private hire vehicle to have CCTV, only for the CCTV equipment to meet the council’s requirements.

 

 

“The absence of CCTV in a taxi or private hire vehicle does not indicate that the owner of the vehicle has failed to pay attention to passenger or driver safety.”