TAXI and private hire drivers in Slough are to be issued with guidance about identifying and reporting modern slavery.

The advice will be provided in conjunction with the Safer Slough Partnership, Slough’s crime and disorder reduction partnership, and will include access to a free smart phone app developed by the Salvation Army which can be used to report suspicious activity.

Slough Borough Council (SBC) said the guidance will also be issued to taxi and private vehicle operators themselves.

Councillor Paul Sohal, commissioner for regulation and consumer protection at SBC, said: “We have an important duty to notify the Home Office of anyone who we believe is a suspected victim of slavery or human trafficking, and our local taxi drivers are key to identifying those most at risk.”

The advice being issued builds on the successful safeguarding awareness training which has been teaching Slough drivers and operators the skills they need to help identify victims of child sexual exploitation, and vulnerable adults.

More than 850 drivers and operators across the borough have been trained to date.

The safeguarding awareness training programme is to be formally evaluated by University College London (UCL) students as part of their degree course in partnership with the council.

The evaluation will commence in September and provide students with the opportunity to evaluate and understand project outcomes, while gaining practical research experience.

The council’s training programme has been recognised as good practice and other local authorities are now using it as a model for their own programmes.

Councillor Sohal added: “We are proud to be leading the way on ensuring we maintain high quality transport delivery to the people of Slough and its visitors, upskilling the taxi trade to safeguard vulnerable children, young people and adults.

“The fact that other Berkshire authorities are now rolling out training to their own drivers and operators highlights the positive impact and importance of our initiative.”

Taxi and private hire drivers and operators in Slough who are yet to register for safeguarding awareness training can do so by contacting the licensing team on 01753 875664 or email licensing@slough.gov.uk