cgksheff Posted December 22, 2006 Share Posted December 22, 2006 City cabbies in CCTV camera trial The CCTV scheme will be reviewed by the council in the new year Taxi cabs in Sheffield are to have CCTV cameras fitted to increase driver safety over the Christmas period. The cameras have been installed in 33 cabs as part of a £7,000 trial funded by Sheffield City Council. Any driver in trouble can activate the camera by pressing a panic button on the dashboard and police can later examine the images for evidence. The scheme was the idea of driver Mohammed Yasin, of Sheffield's private hire and hackney carriage association. He heard a council representative talking about the safety of taxi drivers on a BBC Radio Sheffield programme and rang the station to suggest the camera scheme. "I switched the radio on and heard this gentleman talking about the issue and I rang up and said nothing has ever been done for the safety of drivers. "It's always the passengers' safety which is talked about, but we are in a very vulnerable position. "To his credit this gentleman exchanged phone numbers and a committee was set up and out of that they came up with these cameras." Drivers will be asked to give their feedback on the trial in the New Year. BBC Taxi drivers get CCTV protection SHEFFIELD taxis are to be fitted with CCTV cameras to end the constant threat of violence to drivers. Cameras are being fitted to 33 cars - 25 private hire and eight black cabs - for a trial during the height of the Christmas and New Year party season. If the pilot scheme proves successful, owners will be encouraged to install the system in all the city's 1,700 taxis. Black cab driver Raja Nadeem Shafi has just returned to work months after being beaten up by four men he had driven from Sheffield to Rotherham. They slammed his head against the steering wheel, fracturing his cheek, before running off. "They didn't even steal anything, but they have left me so scared I won't work after dark," he said. Raja is one of the first drivers to benefit from the £7,000 pilot, paid for by the Sheffield Safer Communities Partnership and supported by Sheffield Council and South Yorkshire Police. "I will be more confident with the camera," said Raja. "The men who beat me up got away with it because I wasn't able to give police a good description." The new cameras record the driver and passengers on footage that can be used in court and to help police track down offenders. The police are 100 per cent behind any creative schemes to improve taxi safety. Star Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angle20 Posted December 22, 2006 Share Posted December 22, 2006 It probably is a good idea on safety grounds. However, it is yet another manifestation of the 'Big Brother' camera surveillance society. It is not clear who would pay ongoing costs if this scheme was rolled out more widely, but as taxis are self-employed/small businesses they should really be bearing the expense themselves as a business cost. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Posted December 22, 2006 Share Posted December 22, 2006 Like it says: If the pilot scheme proves successful, owners will be encouraged to install the system in all the city's 1,700 taxis. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ValleyBoy Posted December 22, 2006 Share Posted December 22, 2006 How long before the 1st what the pervy taxi driver saw video comes out? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Litotes Posted December 22, 2006 Share Posted December 22, 2006 Presumably the taxis with them in will have big signs outside and inside them showing the fact that they are recording you without your consent. Last time I was in a black cab, the meter had started before I sat down - now with this, they will have to read out the fact you are being recorded due to the Disability Discrimination Act (blind people take cabs too) before they can turn on the meter so that you have a chance to get back out. Also the taxi divers will have to learn other languages so that they can take foreign (non-english-speaking) customers. Hmmm, has this been though through? Oh I forgot, it is a council scheme, so that'll be a 'no' then... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whatif wewin Posted December 22, 2006 Share Posted December 22, 2006 Like it says: May be so but us council taxpayers have funded it so far, with the initial £7000 with no one kicking up who knows how much more we will stump up without our consent? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pinky_786 Posted December 22, 2006 Share Posted December 22, 2006 whats the big deal, we have to take into consideration their safety too, how selfish of you to think of the money! even if it saves one life its worth it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Posted December 23, 2006 Share Posted December 23, 2006 May be so but us council taxpayers have funded it so far, with the initial £7000 with no one kicking up who knows how much more we will stump up without our consent? Absolutely. By all means the Council can provide support and technical help to licenced operators, but when it comes to spending real hard cash where are the manufacturers? If there is a trial to be had then there are a whole host of people that should be shelling out before the Council. In any case... why do they need a trail? Is this some new wonder device that's never been used before and needs testing? They could have done a quick Google search and come up with CygCam who also make the taxi meters, or with Verifeye who are pitching to provide cameras in Bath, VUE who have already fitted out a Mann & Overton Taxi as a demonstrator, or perhaps had a word with the Newcastle Council about how they have already done it. Perhaps SCC feel the need to reinvent the wheel too? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lindos Posted December 23, 2006 Share Posted December 23, 2006 City cabbies in CCTV camera trial The CCTV scheme will be reviewed by the council in the new year Taxi cabs in Sheffield are to have CCTV cameras fitted to increase driver safety over the Christmas period. The cameras have been installed in 33 cabs as part of a £7,000 trial funded by Sheffield City Council. Star Ah, so that's why the planned refurb of our flats had to be cancelled and we didn't get our new windows in time for winter. Perhaps the councilw would like to pay my gas bill? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darbees Posted December 23, 2006 Share Posted December 23, 2006 whats the big deal, we have to take into consideration their safety too, how selfish of you to think of the money! even if it saves one life its worth it.How will you know if it has saved a life or not and who's life will it be? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.