Rotherham taxi drivers strike in demand for further talks

Protesting cabbies will withdraw services from 6am and are planning slow drives through Rotherham during both rush hours.

The new licensing policy, set for approval on Monday, will require CCTV in all taxis and drivers to use vehicles less than ten years old.

Rotherham Private Hire Association and Rotherham Hackney Carriage Association voted to act on Monday night.

They say more details are needed about how the video and audio recording will be implemented and have complained that the “fit and proper person” criteria is too vague.

RPHA chaiman Abdul Tariq said: “Because there’s only a five-day grace period before this comes in, the drivers want the council to sit down with us again before that ends.

“It’s not just about the CCTV, that’s one thing that’s been picked out. It’s meant we haven’t had time to discuss other things in our meetings.

“We only got the full draft document yesterday. When we met last night, pretty much everyone was in favour of going on strike.”

Rotherham Borough Council says the new measures will drive up standards in the trade, which the Jay report mentioned as playing a “prominent” role in child sexual exploitation.