Police say there are reports of some taxis in South Derbyshire being used to transport vulnerable children to places where they are abused.

A representative for the force made the statement in response to a petition from South Derbyshire cabbies which opposes a policy restricting tinted windows in taxis.

This comes three years after the police made the same claim in response to a petition from cabbies over the tinted taxi windows in Erewash in 2019.

Meanwhile, the charity Safe and Sound, based in Derby, also says there is evidence of taxis being used to transport vulnerable young people who are being exploited.

In total, more than 100 South Derbyshire cabbies have objected to rules over tinted windows in taxis.

In South Derbyshire, taxis and private hire vehicles must have a windscreen that allows 75 per cent of light in and all other windows must allow 70 per cent.

The policy was brought into force by South Derbyshire District Council, which is responsible for licensing taxi drivers, in July 2019.

However, in September 2021, a petition signed by 128 South Derbyshire private hire drivers was submitted to the council, opposing the policy.

This petition will now be debated at a council meeting tomorrow (Jan 25).

It has been submitted by Qasim Ali, based in Burton, who has been a taxi driver for more than a decade, currently working for iCars.

Most of the drivers who have signed the petition are from iCars, followed by Alpha Cars and a couple of drivers from Village Cars, Local Cars and Chellaston Cars.

Mr Ali's petition says that taxi drivers are finding it difficult to meet the requirements due to many vehicles coming with tinted windows installed.

They say this has left them having to spend between £350 and £1,000 to change the windows so that their vehicles meet the tint policy.

The petition says a clear window option is not available for many models of appropriate vehicles, so they have to be custom made.

It lays out that drivers already have to meet a range of requirements for their vehicles, including that they cannot be more than eight years old and have to cater for existing and proposed cleaner air zones and low emission rules.

Mr Ali told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that cars fit for council policy are now costing £12,000 to £15,000 and that drivers who just want to make money to look after their families are struggling.

The council's policy for tinted windows is in place so that people, and most importantly the police, can see into taxis, which are often transporting vulnerable people such as the elderly and children.

Mr Ali writes: "If you think about it, at night, when drivers are driving and at their busiest, a police officer or council officer would not be able to see inside the vehicle whether it has tints or not – as it is too dark.

"The other issue councils have raised is safeguarding of children and school contracts. The answer to this is that the drivers go through an enhanced DBS (criminal record) check every year.

"They also attend courses regarding safeguarding to allow schools/parents to feel safe with their children.

"There have been cases in the past regarding children and drivers security but that has no relation to tinted windows. A sincere driver is going to spend all this time and money to go against the law."

The petition asks for manufacturer-fitted tinted windows to be allowed, but not those fitted after-market.

A representative for Derbyshire Police has responded to the petition, saying they back the retention of the policy, unaltered.

The spokesperson says: "There is a clear risk in allowing tinted windows in the rear of taxis in relation to children at risk of exploitation and violence against women and girls, which also includes sexually or drug.

"Making the rear windows untinted offers security and addresses the safety of the drivers and passengers by ensuring those within the vehicles are clearly visible.

"There are continued reports within the South Division policing area where there is mention of taxis being used for the transportation of children at risk of exploitation to the locations where they are abused."

Derbyshire Police offered the same comment about some taxis "being used for the transportation of children at risk of exploitation to the locations where they are abused" when Erewash proposed its tinted taxi window policy in early 2019.

Mr Ali told the LDRS: "I don't understand why the police have concerns. We have Derby and Birmingham nearby who are allowed to use older vehicles and with tinted windows.

"If they say there is evidence, I'd like to see that evidence. I am not aware of any major incidents in this area.

"It has not been shown that tinted windows are the cause. It isn't about tinted windows. Even without the tint people are still going to do something. If someone wants to do something illegal, they'll still do it.

"We go out there to make a living, nobody is going to go out and do something stupid."

Mr Ali said some drivers in the area have installed cameras in their vehicles for added security and that all iCars vehicles have GPS trackers in them to monitor their locations.

A spokesperson for the National Working Group For Exploitation has also given its views on the South Derbyshire policy, saying: "There is so much written evidence and ad hoc evidence that supports the concerns around safeguarding and taxis that anything we can do to offer transparency and safety should be considered.

"A lone teenager in a taxi would alert traffic police to possible vulnerable young people with either country lines or sexual exploitation factors, tinted windows would reduce that possible intervention."

The spokesperson also adds: "Tinted windows could be a factor in increased risk from passengers for the driver."

A representative for the Safe and Sound Group, wrote: "Licensed vehicles are used for such transportation (transporting vulnerable adults and children) as you outline and there is evidence and intelligence that such vehicles are used for the transportation of vulnerable young people who are being exploited.

"Clearly this does not apply to all and it is not always known by the driver."

They pointed to a May 2021 court case in which dashcam footage from a Derby taxi driver was used to bring down a county lines drug gang.

Police said the driver, Shahid Iqbal, drove "vulnerable" teenage boys carrying drugs to Stockbrook – where they were sold. Iqbal, 41, of Hollinwell Avenue, Wollaton, Nottingham, was jailed for four years.

When approached by the LDRS, Tracy Harrison, CEO of Safe and Sound, said: "Perpetrators, including those targeting young people for child sexual exploitation, trafficking and county lines, often use taxis to as a means of transportation to facilitate these crimes.

"Therefore we would advocate that all taxis should have completely clear windows to make it easier for the police to better identify and act upon potential dangers involving children and young people at risk of exploitation.

"We recommend that all agencies work on an ongoing basis with our local taxi drivers to identify potential perpetrators and victims of child exploitation and encourage information sharing.

"This joined-up approach is vital to better protect vulnerable children and young people in our local communities.

"At the very least, there needs to be consistent policies amongst local councils who regulate these vehicles to disrupt the criminal activity that damages so many young lives in our local communities."

The transport safeguarding lead for Derbyshire County Council also objecting to any change to the tinted window policy, wrote: "There have been many high profile Children at Risk of Exploitation (CRE) cases in the UK over the last few years and sadly, these continue to be exposed.

"In Derbyshire, we have and continue to receive, CRE allegations in connection with the transportation of vulnerable children and older adults and we investigate all complaints and allegations, often liaising with our colleagues in licensing authorities.

"It is essential that parents/carers, the public, other road users and the schools/day centres can clearly see into the rear of the licensed vehicle where passengers are sat."

North West Leicestershire and East Staffordshire Borough Council both have tinted taxi window policies which say windows must not have any additional tint and meet the law – Construction and Use Regulations 1986 – for tinted windows (75 per cent of light allowed in).

Erewash Borough Council requires that taxis have a windscreen that allow at least 75 per cent of light to pass through and 70 per cent through all other windows.

Derby City Council only allows manufacturer-fitted tinted windows and no other tinting is allowed.