CCTV Systems in Licensed Taxis and PHVs
19th January 2010
The PCO has carried out a comprehensive review of the guidelines for CCTV systems installed in licensed London taxis and private hire vehicles in order to reflect current standards in this area.
CCTV systems are installed for the purpose of improving driver and passenger safety and to assist the police. CCTV equipment must carry an ‘e’ or ‘CE’ marking. Systems not so marked must not be fitted as they could interfere with other electrical devices such as anti-lock braking systems.
CCTV systems must be installed so that they do not present a danger to passengers or the driver. The equipment must not obscure the driver’s vision or be fitted so that it prevents safety features like air bags operating correctly. All fixings should be permanent. Suction devices cannot be used as these can detach in the event of an accident. All wiring must be permanent and compliant with the vehicle manufacturers and CCTV systems technical specifications. Screens for the purpose of viewing captured images must not be fitted.
Audio recording is not permitted except in specific circumstances, details of which can be found in the CCTV Code of Practice (2008) or as specified by the ‘Guidelines for CCTV Systems in Licensed London Taxis and Private Hire Vehicles’ on the PCO website.
The CCTV equipment installed must be capable of retaining images either within its own hard drive or by using a service provider who can provide secure transfer and storage facilities. Captured images must be protected using approved encryption software which is designed to guard against the compromise of stored data, for example in the event of the vehicle or equipment being stolen.
Images must not be downloaded onto any kind of portable media at any time. In any event, data must only be retained for a maximum period of 31 days from the date of capture.
Owners who have a CCTV system installed must comply with the Data Protection Act 1998. All vehicles must display standard signage that is visible to passengers informing them that a system is fitted and which contains the Data Controller’s name and contact details. Any vehicle owner, be they a company, organisation or individual, who has a CCTV system installed into a licensed vehicle must register with the Information Commissioner’s Office.
25th August 2010
A proposed fare increase has been put forward by the licensing section of Carlisle City Council as part of an annual review. Proposals before the council’s regulatory panel could raise the minimum fare for the first 0.7 miles of each journey, by 8.7% from £2.30 to £2.50.
25th August 2010
A car company caught illegally carrying 10 teenagers to a party in a Hummer triggered a failed cover up by the firm’s director. Birmingham company A2Z Limos 4 U was ordered to pay £10,800 in fines and costs.
23rd August 2010
Drivers in Lowestoft in Suffolk have appealed to their local district council to reduce the number of new taxi licences being issued.
20th August 2010
A fare dispute has left a Yorkshire man severely injured in hospital. The 18 year old man and his girlfriend were being dropped off in Maltby, between Doncaster and Rotherham, at about 4am on the morning of Sunday August 15.
19th July 2010
Private hire drivers in Reading are upset that whilst they are banned from using bus lanes taxis coming into Reading from adjacent counties are allowed to use the bus lanes.
15th July 2010
A Nottingham private hire driver has been given 10 months' suspended custody and has been banned from the roads for six months after pretending his wife had been driving the car so he could avoid losing his driving licence.
12th July 2010
A Welsh limo hire company, Vegas Limousines, of Ynysddu, became the first to get a limo licence after Caerphilly County Borough Council changed its policy to allow quirky hire vehicles.
26th June 2010
Transport for London is trialling a new technology that prevents vehicles from exceeding the speed limit.
24th June 2010
A Southampton driver has became the first taxi driver to be have his license revoked after being filmed on his own security camera.
10th April 2010
Fares for London's black cabs rise today by an average of 2.3%. Bob Oddy of the Licensed Taxi Drivers Association welcomed what he called "a small but important increase".
10th April 2010
Westminster Council is planning to introduce a pre-pay scheme for taxis on Friday and Saturday nights.
1st April 2010
It is quite wrong that at major sporting events, fashion shows, film premieres, air shows and much more, licensed drivers are challenged for documentation and the requirement to comply with current licensing regulations, whilst an unlicensed, illegal, element remains doing the same job unchallenged alongside the regulated industry.
1st April 2010
The date has been confirmed for this year's LPHCA Golf Day Fund-Raiser which is to be held on Tuesday September 14.
23rd February 2010
The PCO has issued a reminder that there is a specific duty on private hire operators to keep certain records of their operation. These include booking records which must include 'the main destination specified at the time of the booking'.
23rd February 2010
Transport Innovation will be at this year's Private Hire & Taxi Exhibition to be held in the Jaguar Exhibition Hall at the Ricoh Arena, Coventry.
1st February 2010
The UGO website is being extended to give you more functions and features. Members of the UGOnetwork will soon receive a letter with their unique passcode and log-in details! If you would like to know about how you will benefit from this please call 020 8532 4990.
19th January 2010
TfL receives many requests from licensed private hire operators wishing to use TfL branding and the Private Hire roundel on printed material and websites. To assist operators a set of guidelines about using such branding has been created.
19th January 2010
The PCO has carried out a comprehensive review of the guidelines for CCTV systems installed in licensed London taxis and private hire vehicles in order to reflect current standards in this area.
19th January 2010
London Mayor Boris Johnson has published his Air Quality Strategy for London that sets out the framework for delivering improvements to London's Air Quality.
19th January 2010
John Mason is the new director of Taxi and Private Hire at the Public Carriage Office. Mr. Mason spoke at the LPHCA's AGM in October 2009 and stated he was looking forward to the challenges ahead. He said "I am here to really commit to providing the best possible service I can".
18th January 2010
Transport for London (TfL) and the Public Carriage Office (PCO) have received a number of enquiries recently over the regulation and control of the M4 Bus Lane. However it is The Highways Agency (an Executive Agency of the Department for Transport) that is the relevant highway authority.
12th September 2008
Steve Wright has joined the board of Transport for London, the body responsible for regulating the way in which the public uses highways and is responsible for traffic signs, traffic control systems, road safety and traffic reduction. It is also the licensing authority for hackney carriages and private hire vehicles.
