The Board will receive a presentation on the Taxi Stay Safe Operation currently being undertaken and giving details of the success of the Taxi Watch Facebook page and other related campaigns and operations.
Minutes:
The Board received a presentation from Ms R Fisher (Field Officer, Regulatory Services) on the Taxi Stay Safe Operation currently being undertaken and presented to schools throughout the Borough and giving details of the success of the Taxi Watch Facebook page and other related campaigns and operations.
The presentation gave details of the following:
· The history of Taxi’s and the introduction of the licensing regime
· The roles and requirements of Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Drivers and Vehicles and the differences between the two
· The identification requirements of Driver’s
· The implications of using unlicensed vehicles
· The ‘rise’ of Facebook taxis – people advertising cheap ‘taxi’ lifts on facebook – and the implications for drivers and passengers of using these illegal and unlicensed drivers and vehicles. Arising out of this Ms Fisher outlined:
o various scenarios both nationally, regionally and locally where issues had occurred following the use of such vehicles/drivers
o The enforcement action taken to tackle these problems
· The steps which taxi users could take to ensure their safety
Ms Fisher gave out details of posters and a press release issued to give prominence to the Staysafe operation and she reported the differing agencies involved in enforcement operations and on future operations planned. In conclusion, Ms Fisher outlined the following acrostic which she had developed to try to encourage people to remember how to ‘StaySafe’:
S Standards/Safety
T Travel/Taxi/Time/Tested/Trustworthy
A Anyone/Authorised
Y Yourself/You
S Safety
A Allowed/Approved
F Fare/Fair
E Enter/Educate/Effects/Easy/Enforcement
In the ensuing discussion, the following matters were raised:
· The presentation was very much welcomed as a means of helping to prevent unauthorised taxis and ensuring passenger safety
· The increasing use of ‘Facebook Taxis’ was a particular concerns as many drivers appeared not to realise they were doing anything wrong and failed to recognise the implications of their actions
· Other preventative measures were suggested including:
o Issuing guidelines to all drivers regarding the use of child locks on rear passenger doors – it was noted that checks were made during ‘taxi tests’ to ensure that such locks were disabled
o It was suggested that passengers using taxis should tell someone where they were going and when they were expected
· Reference was made to the use of medical references for applicants for driver licences within the context of the recent incident involving a refuse lorry driver in Scotland. It was explained that if fitness to drive declarations were singed by an applicants GP there was little other action that could be taken by Licensing Services.
· The presentation would be emailed to all Members of the Board following the meeting
· The presentation highlighted the importance of Enforcement operations and the Chair encouraged all Members to take part in one or more of these exercises so that they could see, at first hand, the type of work involved and the issues addressed by Enforcement Staff
RESOLVED that Ms Fisher be thanked for a most informative presentation and for answering Members questions.
In closing the meeting, the Chair wished all Members and Officers an Merry Christmas and an Healthy and Prosperous New Year