Cheltenham Council to issue grants to taxi and private hire drivers to install safety partitions

Image credit: Richard Amos

Cheltenham Borough Council is supporting licensed taxi and private hire drivers with grants to install partition screens in licensed vehicles, to help fight against the spread of the coronavirus.

The council has said that It is important that as a licensing authority, it takes practical steps to protect licence holders and their passengers, and in July 2020, the council adopted a policy allowing licensed taxi and private hire drivers to install these screens in their vehicles.

The grant should fund up to 50 per cent of the cost of installing approved partition screens in Cheltenham licensed vehicles.

Cllr Andrew McKinlay, cabinet member for development and safety, said: “As the number of cases rise, the authority is doing everything it can to play it part in fighting the spread of the virus.

“Taxis and private hire vehicles put drivers and passengers in close contact with each other. Partition screens are a way in which the spread of the virus can be reduced in such confined spaces.

“Whilst some licensed drivers have already installed these screens in their vehicles, many have not done so yet.

“In order to incentivise more drivers, the council is making small grants available to help cover the cost of installing these screens that will give drivers physical protection against the virus in their workplace, provide protection for passengers, and more generally, give public confidence and assurance.”

For information on the policy on partition screens in licensed vehicles, visit the council’s website: www.cheltenham.gov.uk and search ‘partition screens’.