Taxi drivers in Pendle, Lancashire, are set to benefit from a pioneering scheme to help crackdown on violent attacks on cabbies.
All taxis in the area will be fitted with CCTV cameras, which will monitor events inside each taxi. The CCTV will not only capture images but also record sound, helping cabbies to convict anyone who threatens or attacks them.
It’s hoped that new cameras will offer taxi drivers greater protection and improve passenger safety. Working with the Home Office, Pendle Community Safety Partnership has provided the equipment in an effort to reduce alcohol related incidents in taxis.
Pilot Scheme
The scheme will be piloted for 12 months and only police will have access to view recorded footage. If the scheme is successful, further funding will be sought to purchase additional camera equipment.
Owner of Nelson-based Cavalier Taxis, Mohammed Akram, told the Lancashire Telegraph: “If you’re a driver or a customer you need to feel safe, not vulnerable. This is an excellent initiative which will help drivers have peace of mind as well as improve their own personal safety.”