Taxi CCTV

Watford taxis to trial CCTV technology for one year to assess if it can improve safety for drivers and passengers.

09:59 01 August 2017

Watford is launching Project FareSafe to assess if the use of CCTV technology can help improve the safety of taxi drivers and passengers. 29 council-registered taxis have been fitted with CCTV cameras and marked “Project FareSafe”.

 

The project is funded by the Police and Crime Commissioner and Hertfordshire Constabulary.

 

Project lead Superintendent Dean Patient said: “I am really pleased to be working with Watford Borough Council and the University of Cambridge in piloting this project.

 

“Over the next 12 months we will be working closely with the drivers and the wider trade to understand if the use of CCTV in taxis reduces the crime experienced by drivers.

 

“Everyone has the right to be safe at work, and we are keen that the findings will be used to inform policy and practice in Watford.”

 

Cllr Joe Fahmy, the council’s licensing chairman, said: “The safety of the public and of drivers is our primary concern. I am very pleased that Watford is at the forefront of testing this technology to see how CCTV can be used to protect drivers and passengers.

 

“The work here will be vital in informing future policy and in determining what else we can do to improve safety in the taxi and private hire trade.”