Peterborough councillor creates petition to make CCTV mandatory in all taxis

A Peterborough councillor is campaigning to make CCTV mandatory in all licensed taxis and private hire vehicles in the UK.

Cllr Daisy Blakemore-Creedon, who represents the Fletton and Woodston ward as an independent, believes introducing CCTV would give people more confidence to get home safely, including the drivers.

The 19-year-old said it is a topic she feels strongly about and has created a petition so others can show their support.

She wrote: “CCTV can make a real difference. It deters bad behaviour, helps resolve disputes, and gives people more confidence to get home safely, especially late at night.

“Drivers deserve that security too, many work alone, often in vulnerable situations. This is a simple, sensible step that would make a big impact. I believe we owe it to each other to make every journey safer.”

Cllr Blakemore-Creedon resigned from the Labour Group at the beginning of May, claiming that she was accused of racism by some of her party collegaues after calling for CCTV in taxis.

A Labour Party Spokesperson said that all complaints are “assessed thoroughly” in line with the party’s rules and procedures.

Speaking on social media, Cllr Blakemore-Creedon said: “Women’s safety should not be politicised. Peterborough needs to act. Let’s stop debating and start protecting the people that rely on these journeys every day.”

Jake Carter, a hackney carriage driver in Peterborough, has mixed feelings on the idea.

He said: “My first thoughts, probably like much of the public, were that it sounds like a sensible thing to do because you’re putting extra safety and security in place.

“But after speaking to some of the other hackney drivers and thinking a bit more myself, I think the concerns are that the cost of this CCTV equipment has to be borne by the drivers.

“You can’t just install the cheapest system, you’ve got to go with the one recommended by the council.

“Secondly, it would have to be on all the time and automatically starts when the vehicle is switched on. People use these taxis for their own private vehicles as well.”

Mr Carter said that there are already many safety measures in place on hackney carriages, like the one he drives, and all drivers have to go through rigorous tests and checks before they are licensed.

He added: “There are a lot of already good safety practices that have been put in place, especially in the hackney world, which mitigate the risks that the public are concerned about.

“If it was to be worked a bit differently where a council took the cost and allowed drivers more flexibility about when the CCTV could be switched on or off, then it might be something the drivers would consider.

“It should be sold as benefiting the drivers as much as benefitting the public.”

According to the latest government figures, only eight per cent of authorities in the UK have a requirement for all licensed taxis to have CCTV fitted, equating to 21 out of 266.

Additionally, only seven per cent have a requirement for all licensed private hire vehicles to have CCTV fitted.