Petition started to get CCTV installed in taxis

A petition has been started to get CCTV installed in taxis operating in and entering the borough.

Started by David Winder, the petition has go far gained almost 200 signatures and asks Rochdale Council to install CCTV cameras in taxis to protect passengers and drivers.

Speaking to Rochdale Online, Mr Winder said: “I had seen on the news that Rotherham were looking at putting CCTV in their taxis and then I found out that Manchester Council were also looking at something similar so I thought why doesn’t Rochdale do this?”

Mr Winder recently contacted Rochdale Council about the idea and was told that the council had twice tried to bring this in, but the issue of cost was a stumbling block.

Mr Winder added: “To me cost shouldn’t come into this. This is about public safety. I’m not only talking about the grooming scandal here, there have been assaults on taxi drivers as well, which CCTV could help with.”

If the initiative were to go ahead, Mr Winder would want to see any taxi operating within the borough using CCTV.

“We have taxi’s coming in and out of the borough from areas like Bury and Burnley so they too should have CCTV if they are coming into the borough. It shouldn’t just be taxis working in the borough but should also apply to those coming in as well,” added Mr Winder.

Mr Winder has started a petition and now hopes to gain enough signatures to encourage Rochdale Council to go ahead with the plan.

He said: “I use taxis infrequently but I have previously spoken to taxi drivers who have agreed with what I say. Rochdale Council shouldn’t sit and wait on this.”

Andy Glover, Rochdale Council’s Chief Public Protection Officer, said: “The council has in recent years discussed this issue with the local trade and will continue to monitor the situation in Rotherham with interest to see what lessons can be learned from that authority's attempt to progress this approach.”

The petition can be found at: 

https://www.change.org/p/rochdale-council-i-want-the-council-to-make-a-bylaw-which-would-make-it-illegal-for-a-taxi-to-operate-within-the-borough-without-cctv-installed