Peterborough Council REJECTS mandatory taxi CCTV scheme after trade cross border and cost concerns
Peterborough City Council has rejected a proposal to mandate CCTV cameras in all licensed taxis and private hire vehicles, opting instead to allow voluntary adoption of the technology.
The decision comes after significant opposition from the taxi trade, which raised concerns over privacy, cost, and uneven enforcement across regions.
The proposal, aimed at improving passenger and driver safety, was debated during the council’s Full Council meeting on Wednesday 4 December. Despite initial recommendations from the licensing committee to introduce mandatory CCTV, councillors voted overwhelmingly against the policy. Of the 54 votes cast, 37 were against, with only eight in favour and nine abstentions.
Consultations on the policy, which began in 2022, drew over 600 responses, including 288 from industry representatives. Nearly 90% of drivers surveyed opposed the scheme, citing the financial strain it would impose and fears over data protection. Peterborough Private Hire Association chairman Nawaab Imran Khan welcomed the council’s decision, describing it as a “huge relief” for drivers.
Under the proposed rules, more than 1,800 taxi drivers in the city would have been required to install CCTV systems within 18 months. However, concerns over ‘cross-border’ registration were key to the council’s rejection of the plan. Councillors highlighted the risk of drivers registering vehicles in neighbouring areas without similar CCTV requirements, thereby bypassing Peterborough’s regulations while still operating locally.
