Taxi and private hire vehicles: dash cam policy

Dashcams

The council require all dashcams used in taxis or private hire vehicles to comply with these requirements. Dashcams also known as Video Point of Impact Systems (VPIS) are external facing cameras that record footage external to the vehicle designed to capture footage in the event of a road traffic collision. Dashcams must not record audio or internal images, devices used for internal images or audio must comply with the council CCTV requirements.

Reversing cameras or similar live image functions are not dashcams because they do not record images. Dashcams have many advantages such as helping to identify who is responsible for causing an accident, providing evidence, resolving disputes, and it may lower insurance premiums in some instances.

Vehicle proprietors must comply with UK General Data Protection Regulations (UKGDPR). Taxi and private hire vehicle businesses have different operating modes and therefore businesses may use The Information Commissioners Office (ICO) data protection fee self-assessment to check if they should pay a fee and register with the ICO. 

When a vehicle proprietor informs the local authority they have installed a dashcam the local authority should record this information and be able to identify all vehicles licensed with a dashcam used. It may be beneficial at a later date if complaints are received or the vehicle is involved in an accident.

When a proprietor or driver with proprietor permission installs a dashcam device into a taxi or PHV it must comply with the following vehicle licence conditions:

1. The data controller or owner of the system is responsible for the data captured and must only capture external images (no internal images).
2. The dashcam must be capable of muting or disabling audio, audio use within a public use vehicle may only be used when panic/trigger switches are used (see CCTV policy).
3. The dashcam device must be UKCA-marked or CE-marked.
4. If a driver intends to install a dashcam, the driver must receive permission from the vehicle proprietor who holds the hackney carriage or private hire vehicle licence.
5. The vehicle proprietor must inform the council in writing within 5 working days of installing or removing a dashcam in a licensed vehicle. The proprietor must identify the appropriate vehicle.
6. The dashcam may not be used without clear legible signage facing the direction the images are to be captured, for example if the dashcam is used to record images in front of the vehicle, signage across the top of the windscreen will be acceptable, any dashcam and associated signage or cabling must not obstruct the required view of the driver.
7. Upon request for captured recordings by an authorised officer of the council or police the data controller or vehicle proprietor shall attempt to provide the unedited dashcam footage as soon as reasonably practicable, and in any event respond within 7 days of the request.