Tuesday 30 October 2007

Taxi and car hire in Kent to install in-car CCTV with EU funding

Taxi and car hire in Kent to install in-car CCTV with EU funding. The total funding available for the in-car safety CCTV cameras is £118,000. Driver can now install CCTV camera in vehicle with over 75% cost to be subsidized by the Fund. Perhaps more councils will follow suit?


Taxis to get CCTV

9:29am, 30th OCtober 2007

By Charlotte McDonald

TAXI drivers in Gravesham are one step closer to getting CCTV cameras in their cabs after securing EU cash.

Cabbies have been calling for more security measures following the death of Gian Chand Bajar, a taxi driver found lying in the road in St Benedict's Avenue, Gravesend, on May 23.

The 71-year-old father-of-six is thought to have been run over by his own car.

Now £59,000 has been secured from the EU's Urban Thames Gateway Kent fund.

This will be matched pound-for-pound by a partnership of the drivers themselves, Gravesham Council, the police and the multi-agency Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership which deals with public safety.

It will make a total of £118,000.

Gravesham's United Taxi Group communications officer Rick Davis said: "This is far beyond our greatest expectations.

"I am sure other councils and authorities will follow suit, so this will be a flagship scheme.

"We have come an awfully long way."

More than 100 taxi and private hire drivers have already signed up to have CCTV in their cars.

The council hopes to have some of these cameras in place within weeks.

Drivers will only have to pay at most a fifth of the overall cost as a contribution towards the cost of the in-cab equipment.

It is estimated the cost of a camera for one vehicle will be between £400 and £500.

Mr Davis added: "The fact the drivers can have this added protection at a reasonable price is unbelieavable.

"Everybody has worked hard together.

"It wouldn't have worked without this co-operation."

There are 250 drivers in Gravesham and help with funding these cameras will be available to all of them.

Suggestions of getting CCTV installed in cars were discussed at the first joint meeting between the drivers, the council and the police following Mr Bajar's death in May.

Since then the council, the police and the Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership have met regularly with the United Taxi Group.

Gravesham Council leader Councillor Mike Snelling said: "It had been an ambition of the council for a long time to help the drivers get CCTV and I am very pleased we have been able to achieve this.

"Community safety is the council's number one priority and we have pledged to make the borough safer."

Cab drivers and the Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership members have been invited to an open day at Brands Hatch next week when a range of CCTV and other safety equipment will be displayed.

Inspector Paul Anderson is running the Kent police work on the project through the Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership.

He said: "Over the past six months, there has been a considerable amount of work done to source suitable safety products which will provide reassurance to drivers and passengers, will deter potential criminals and also provide hard evidence to assist in any criminal investigations.

"I look forward to seeing this technology in taxis in north Kent over the coming months."

Luke Andrew Aujila, of no fixed address, has been charged with the murder of Mr Bajar.

Aujila, who was 20 at the time of being arrested in connection with Mr Bajar's death, is currently in custody.


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