Post by acnedriver on Apr 28, 2023 5:44:52 GMT
Tougher rules for taxi and private hire drivers will be introduced in England in a bid to make passengers safer.
Drivers who lose their licence in one region will be prevented from applying to other local authorities without informing them of their history.
Three out of four councils use the national database system voluntarily, but it becomes mandatory from Thursday.
The family of Sian O'Callaghan, 22, who was murdered by a private hire driver in 2011, have welcomed the change.
They said in a statement: "To see this law being implemented and rolled out today across all local authorities is testament to Sian, it was in her nature to help others and this means so much to us personally.
"Her name is now linked to a drastic improvement in passengers' safety within taxis and PHVs, whilst also better protecting hard-working, law-abiding drivers themselves."
Ms O'Callaghan was killed by Christopher Halliwell after getting into his taxi to leave a nightclub in Swindon.
Her family has been working with personal safety charity, the Suzy Lamplugh Trust, in calling for the establishment of a national database.
Transport secretary Mark Harper said the change would weed out drivers who may pose a risk.
www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-65400926.amp
Drivers who lose their licence in one region will be prevented from applying to other local authorities without informing them of their history.
Three out of four councils use the national database system voluntarily, but it becomes mandatory from Thursday.
The family of Sian O'Callaghan, 22, who was murdered by a private hire driver in 2011, have welcomed the change.
They said in a statement: "To see this law being implemented and rolled out today across all local authorities is testament to Sian, it was in her nature to help others and this means so much to us personally.
"Her name is now linked to a drastic improvement in passengers' safety within taxis and PHVs, whilst also better protecting hard-working, law-abiding drivers themselves."
Ms O'Callaghan was killed by Christopher Halliwell after getting into his taxi to leave a nightclub in Swindon.
Her family has been working with personal safety charity, the Suzy Lamplugh Trust, in calling for the establishment of a national database.
Transport secretary Mark Harper said the change would weed out drivers who may pose a risk.
www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-65400926.amp