BARNSLEY Council’s ruling cabinet members will meet next year to implement the mandatory requirement for CCTV in Hackney carriages.

Taxi drivers are currently being urged to take part in a consultation which would see the council install free-of-charge CCTV cameras in their vehicles from as early as April next year.

The council’s licensing officers were successful in their bid to the government’s Transport Innovation Fund, paving the way for cameras to be fitted in order to boost safety for both drivers and passengers.

However, following its previous consultation when more than 500 drivers were contacted about the scheme, just 39 responses were received.

Of those, 29 per cent declined the free camera, while almost half said they would not agree to pay for a camera’s maintenance costs if the move became mandatory.

A further consultation began in October and is set to run until January 3.

Councillors will meet on March 5 following the consultation, and then will implement the mandatory requirement at a full council meeting later that month.