Number of criminal charges against PH and Balck can drivers
Request ID: FOI-1649-1718
Date published: 29 November 2017
You asked
I wish to use my right to obtain records of criminal charges brought against Private Hire Drivers and Black Cab drivers including nature of the offence.
We answered
TfL Ref: FOI-1649-1718
Thank you for your request received by Transport for London (TfL) on 26 September 2017 asking for records of criminal charges brought against Private Hire Drivers and Black Cab drivers.
Your request has been considered in accordance with the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act and our information access policy. I can confirm we do not hold the information you require.
TfL does not hold data on criminal charges brought against Private Hire and Black Cab drivers.
All licensed taxi and private hire drivers are subject to an enhanced criminal record check and once a decision on a driver's application has been made the results of the Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) check have to be destroyed in accordance with the DBS Code of Practice, which has statutory backing. Therefore, we do not hold all details of convictions and cautions unless it was referred to a Licensing Manager or higher for consideration for approval/refusal. The only recorded convictions would be those declared to us by the driver. In order to provide the information requested we would have to check in excess of 125,000 individual electronic driver records and then list conviction details if held.
The Metropolitan Police advise TfL of allegations of sexual offences committed by drivers, details of which we publish here https://tfl.gov.uk/corporate/safety-and-security/security-on-the-network/tph-related-sexual-offences#on-this-page-0
The data on this link is updated annually, and the figures for 2016 will be added in the coming weeks. The police may hold details of other offences committed by persons licenced to drive taxi and private hire vehicles. The information you request may be held by the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS). You can find details for submitting a Freedom of Information Request to the Metropolitan Police Service atwww.met.police.uk/foi, and for the City of London Police at https://www.cityoflondon.police.uk/about-us/your-right-to-information/foi/Pages/Freedom-of-information.aspx.
Please see the attached information sheet for details of your right to appeal.
Yours sincerely,
Melissa Nichols
FOI Case Officer
FOI Case Management Team
General Counsel
Transport for London
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