Taxi 'panic switches' set to be permitted

Panic switches are set to be permitted in taxis as part of measures by City of Wolverhampton Council to protect drivers.

The switches would allow drivers to momentarily record audio inside their vehicles when they felt in danger.

While drivers may install CCTV cameras in their vehicles, although it is not mandatory to do so, they are currently banned from continuously recording audio.

Proposals to permit momentary audio recordings are recommended for approval at the council's regulatory committee meeting on 12 March.

The authority said more than than 300 crimes were recorded in 2019 by West Midlands Police that involved Wolverhampton taxis.

The recommended approval comes off the back of a six-week consultation exercise, which received more than 1,300 responses.

Figures showed that 88% of respondents agreed that audio recording would better protect passengers from drivers, and 96% agreed it would better protect drivers from passengers.

About 70% of drivers responding to the consultation said they were likely to install the audio recording equipment.

The City of Wolverhampton Council cited the killing of Anakh Singh in October 2022 as an example of risk towards drivers.

Mr Singh died after being punched, kicked and headbutted by Tomasz Margol, 36, following an argument over the method of payment for his journey, police said.

Margol was sentenced to 10 years in prison after being cleared of murder but found guilty of manslaughter.

Wolverhampton would join councils in Sheffield, Guildford, York, Cambridge, and Southampton to introduce taxi audio recording.

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