Sunderland Taxis CCTV

Sunderland City Council to set new regulations for taxis, including the possible mandatory use of CCTV cameras.

07:13 05 October 2020

Sunderland City Council is set to launch a review of policies for private transport workers, including the mandatory installation of CCTV cameras. The aim is to bring together existing sets of regulations into 'one concise document' while also taking into account new government guidance. 

 

Steve Wearing, senior licensing officer at Sunderland City Council, said: “CCTV is a matter for a decision following consultation – some councils have introduced that already but others have not,”

 

“It’s something for the council and the [licensing] committee to consider as part of the overall consultation arrangement, whether there should be a mandatory requirement for CCTV in all vehicles.

 

“At the moment it’s not mandatory, it is optional and subject to data controls, but it is something which could be considered.”

 

The council's licensing regime for 'Private Hire and Hackney Carriage' drivers covers a wide range of areas, including medical assessments, knowledge tests, insurance and rules on convictions or police cautions. 

 

The Department for Transport has issued a new set of regulations in July to impose a new set of minimum national standards, which councils are expected to implement 'unless there is a compelling local reason not to'.