Taxi cabs in Sheffield are to have CCTV cameras fitted to increase driver safety over the Christmas period.

The cameras have been installed in 33 cabs as part of a £7,000 trial funded by Sheffield City Council.

Any driver in trouble can activate the camera by pressing a panic button on the dashboard and police can later examine the images for evidence.

The scheme was the idea of driver Mohammed Yasin, of Sheffield's private hire and hackney carriage association.

He heard a council representative talking about the safety of taxi drivers on a BBC Radio Sheffield programme and rang the station to suggest the camera scheme.

'Very vulnerable'

"I switched the radio on and heard this gentleman talking about the issue and I rang up and said nothing has ever been done for the safety of drivers.

"It's always the passengers' safety which is talked about, but we are in a very vulnerable position.

"To his credit this gentleman exchanged phone numbers and a committee was set up and out of that they came up with these cameras."

Drivers will be asked to give their feedback on the trial in the New Year.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/south_yorkshire/6203007.stm