Badge fears for taxi drivers

Taxi drivers fear information on their driver's badge issued by Wyre Forest District Council could make themselves and their families vulnerable to thieves and attack.

Some believe that detailing their names on the badges could open them up to crime.

One taxi driver has said that he fears that as he works every night his family could be vulnerable. He has also claimed that he has had a threat made against him after someone found out where he lived. A petition signed by 98 drivers has called for details of the driver's name to be taken off the badge.

A survey has revealed that 29 drivers have claimed they have faced problems because their name was displayed.

But 69 of the drivers said they had faced no problems.

Members of the Wyre Forest Taxi Drivers' Association have asked that a driver number and photograph should be displayed.

But because the name of each driver is entered on a public register that is open to inspection by anyone, council officials say that drivers could be easily identified from an enquiry.

Brian Kent said in a report to members of the council's licensing and environmental committee, who are set to meet on January 7, that clear identification of a driver was essential if they had to investigate concerns and customer complaints.

The official badge handed out by the council has carried the name of the driver since 1976.

They are intended to be worn on the outside of the driver's outer clothing and to be displayed in the passenger compartment for the information of passengers.

Both Worcester City Council and Wychavon District Council issue badges with no names.

But local authorities in Bromsgrove, Redditch and the Malvern Hills district all require names to be given.

Councillors are expected to make a decision on whether to delete names from the badges at Monday's meeting.