Norfolk Taxi CCTV

Taxi companies in Norfolk may be forced to install CCTV if proposals to the government are approved.

09:50 17 February 2019

A report commissioned by the Department for Transport is urging the government to bring in minimum standards for all taxi and private-hire drivers. It recommends improving security for commuters by making criminal record checks and using CCTV cameras compulsory.  

 

Norfolk taxi owners and drivers are pleased with the recommendations saying that CCTV cameras would benefit not just their passengers but the drivers as well.

 

Sibi Kuttiparichel, director of Norwich-based Goldstar Taxis, said: “We have dashcams in all our cars and most of our drivers would like to have CCTV inside as well. It would protect both the customers and our drivers. When someone is being recorded they are perhaps more likely to behave better and also if anyone is blaming the drivers for something we would be able to check that back too.”

 

Bruce Davis, a driver with A2B Taxis, said: “I’d be all for it because it is extra security for both drivers and passengers. Some drivers have cameras, some don’t but the cameras tend not to be looking into the interior of the taxi. There is an issue there because we are then getting into the realms of data protection, protecting identities and privacy. It opens up a bit of a minefield.”