Taxi drivers could face more inspections coming in and out of Sunderland under new rules aimed at keeping their passengers safer.

Sunderland City Council is looking to sign-up to a taxi licensing agreement with the North East region's 11 other councils, which could mean the drivers could face more inspections once they leave the city.

Taxis not from Sunderland would also face inspections if they enter the city.

The new agreement is being introduced to help bring about more effective regulation of the trade across the North East region.

It follows councils expressing concerns about the increasing numbers of taxis licensed by other councils often operating in their areas.

These 'out of area' vehicles are not subject to the regulations of the council in the area they are working in.

Sunderland City Council's Cabinet is looking at the regional agreement when it meets next Tuesday, June 18.

It is part of a wider on-going national review of taxi licensing arrangements.

Councillor Amy Wilson, the council's cabinet member for environment and transport, said: "As the report to cabinet sets out, there have been recent and national concerns relating to the safeguarding of vulnerable adults and children.

"These are draft statutory guidance and haven’t yet been adopted by government but there is a will to adopt these as local policies

"This council, as are others up and down the country, is reviewing its taxi licensing functions to further reflect these guidelines and new powers.

“Our review is considering mandatory safeguarding training for drivers and further checks for if a driver is a 'fit and proper person'.

"This North East Memorandum of Understanding is very much a first stage of this licensing review process.

“It is all about ensuring more effective regulation of the taxi trade and protecting the public."

As of end of May 2019, there are 347 Hackney Carriages in Sunderland, 443 Private Hire vehicles and 1,165 drivers.

https://www.sunderlandecho.com/news/people/sunderland-taxi-drivers-to-face-more-checks-after-concerns-about-out-of-area-drivers-1-9814793
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 ACCESS FOR ALL

We launched our Access All Areas campaign back in 2015 after hearing from countless guide dog owners about being refused access to public places because of their dog. This is almost always illegal. Under the Equality Act, guide dog and other assistance dog owners have the right to enter most services, premises and vehicles with their dog.

Our research shows that the most frequent places that guide dog owners are refused access to are minicabs, taxis, restaurants and shops. This is why we’ve been calling for the government to introduce Disability Equality Training for minicab and taxi drivers, to make them aware of the law and how better to support people with a visual impairment. We’ve been making similar calls in countries across the United Kingdom.


    75% of assistance dog owners we surveyed have been refused access to a restaurant, shop or taxi.
 
    In a one-year period, 42% of assistance dog owners were refused entry to a taxi or minicab because of their dog.

    33% of assistance dog owners surveyed were refused entry to a minicab or taxi because the driver said they had an allergy, but didn't hold a valid medical exemption certificate as legally required.
    20% of assistance dog owners surveyed said that a minicab or taxi arrived but the driver drove off without even speaking to them.


    In 2016 hundreds of campaigners across the UK took to the streets to collect over 8,000 signatures for the Access All Areas petition as part of our Action for Access Day in May.
    In June 2016 over 100 guide dog owners attended a lobby of Parliament in Westminster to speak to MPs about how access refusals from shops, restaurants and taxis affect them on a daily basis. We handed the first Access All Areas petition, with 50,523 signatures, to the Minister for Disabled People, Justin Tomlinson MP. Andrew Gwynne MP announced that he would introduce a Bill to make it a condition of taxi and minicab drivers' licences that they take part in disability equality training. Unfortunately, the Bill ran out of time to be debated.

    In 2017 A second petition was launched, calling on the Government to ensure that all taxi and minicab drivers take part in disability equality training to understand the rights and needs of disabled people. Another successful day of action in April saw campaigners collect over 10, 000 signatures for the petition! We also took the campaign to party conferences where politicians tried their luck at a shuffleboard.

    In April 2018 we handed over 46,000 signatures to Government, along with a box filled with stress cards to remind the Minister that 42% of guide dog owners face discrimination.

    We are continuing to work with licensing authorities to ensure that they adopt our disability equality training and that taxi and minicab drivers understand the rights and needs of disabled people.

The next big moment in our Access All Areas campaign will be holding a mass lobby in Parliament on 19 June. We aim to connect as many guide dog owners as possible with their MPs to help build support for this vital campaign.

https://bit.ly/2WG7ZUo
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 DERBY

A yob who smashed a taxi window while on a suspended sentence for another crime has been spared jail.
Stephen Newton had been arguing with a woman in the vehicle after being picked up near Walkabout in Derby city centre.

Derby Crown Court heard how no payment was going to be made and the driver drove them to the taxi base in Stockbrook Street.
When they arrived he broke one of the windows of the vehicle before climbing out.

During the hearing it was revealed he was on a suspended sentence which was imposed in July last year.

Judge Jonathan Bennett, who presided over the case, chose not to activate Newton's suspended sentence and handed him unpaid work.

He said: "You are 28 years of age and have something of a record.
"You came before St Alban's Crown Court for a serious matter of dangerous driving, drink driving and racially aggravated behaviour.
"The common theme is drink. The magistrates court sent you to this court as you were subject to the crown court suspended sentence.
"I have to decided whether to activate the suspended sentence, but I don't think it would be proportionate.

"I don't seek to minimise it (the criminal damage)."

Christopher Jeyes, prosecuting, outlined the case to the court, stating it took place between Christmas Eve and Christmas Day 2018.

He said: "The complainant was on duty. This defendant and a female passenger were picked up outside Walkabout.
"They started arguing with each other."
The court heard how no payment was going to be made to the taxi driver and there were "discussions".

The driver drove to the taxi base where the police could be called.
Mr Jeyes said: "Once they arrived at that place the defendant started banging on the glass.
 
"The driver noticed the window was smashed. The defendant climbed out.
"The female passenger got out the other side. Both started swearing at him."

Police arrived on the scene and spoke to the defendant who told them "I'll just pay for it".
During his interview he gave no comment and gave officers a prepared statement.
The court stated he had several previous convictions with the most serious resulting in him being handed a nine-month sentence suspended for two years.

What did he get?
Judge Bennett handed Newton 40 hours of unpaid work for the criminal damage.
He then handed him another 40 hours for the suspended sentence breach, taking his total to 80 hours.

He stated that the suspended sentence would remain in place and that he must also pay £350 in compensation.

What was said in mitigation?
The court heard how Newton, of Village Street, Derby, was working well with probation and had completed his previous unpaid work, a skills programme and an alcohol treatment requirement.

Harold Ewing, mitigating said Newton felt "trapped" in there, but that wasn't in any way to excuse the incident in any way.

https://www.derbytelegraph.co.uk/news/local-news/derby-yob-smashes-taxi-window-2976547