A council in Scotland is proposing an introduction of a dress code for taxi drivers, reports a local paper.
Taxi drivers who work within the Moray Council district around Aberdeen will be consulted in the coming weeks with regard to the proposals. The aim is to produce a ‘better first impression’ to passengers, according to the council. The idea comes after a review of both public taxi and private hire customers concluded that they would like to see their cab drivers smarter and better dressed.
In fact, 60% of those asked said that they would like to see the introduction of a dress code to ‘create a smart, clean and tidy impression’. A spokesperson for Moray Council said that the proposals had not been finalised as yet, and “…will be the subject of discussions with the taxi trade”.
The proposal also includes a ban on drivers smoking while parked at taxi ranks, even if they are not in the vehicle at the time.
But is it enforceable?
However, while this proposal may be welcomed by customers, how do taxi drivers feel about it? And how will the guidelines be clarified and then enforced? This may lead to further questions about how much control a council has over the licensed taxi trade. While it’s understandable that customers want to a clean, well presented and smart taxi that doesn’t smell of cigarettes, it may be difficult for the council to develop guidelines that are acceptable to all drivers. For example, we’re in the middle of a heatwave in the UK at the moment, so if a new dress code stipulates a shirt and tie must be worn, will drivers be penalised if they remove their ties during hot weather?
These and other questions may cause some debate when the proposals are actually put into practice. It’s reasonable for a council to have a certain amount of say over such things as licensing conditions, the condition of the vehicle and whether the driver has the correct taxi insurance to be able to operate within their jurisdiction. But do they have the right to dictate how taxi drivers (especially those working for private hire companies) should be dressed? Surely that is down to the individual company to enforce, and not the council?
It will be interesting to see how this story develops, and whether it is picked up by other councils across the UK too.