Heated row over banning of Rhyl taxi drivers' shortsTAXI drivers are getting hot under the collar after new guidelines barring them from wearing shorts are set to come into force within days.
A petition, which has more than 500 signatures, has been launched against Denbighshire Council’s Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Driver Dress Code which will prevent drivers wearing shorts of any kind.
Taxi driver David Lloyd, aged 44, who works for Leddens Taxis, launched the petition which has been signed by members of the public and other taxi drivers.
He said: “They have gone too far. Women can wear skirts below the knee but men are not able to wear shorts below the knee.
“There is no harm in it. We are only trying to keep cool.”
Mr Lloyd, who has been a taxi driver for six years, said during the summer months temperatures in cabs can reach upwards of 30 degrees celsius.
The new guidelines were approved by Denbighshire Council’ s Licensing Committee in March and the new dress code will come into force on Friday.
The original proposals were to allow shorts, if tailored and to the knee or below, but an amendment proposed by Prestatyn councillor Hugh Irving during the meeting changed the guidelines to “no shorts may be worn”.
It passed as some committee members felt ‘wearing shorts did not convey a professional image’.
Rhyl resident, Mr Lloyd, added: “We are talking about wearing tailored or three-quarter length shorts, not short shorts. It gets very hot in the summer and shorts are vital to help us keep cool. Not all cabs have air conditioning. It is an infringement of our human rights.
“Some drivers are sat waiting for a job for an hour, it is not fair they can’t keep cool in their working environment. I would like the council to re-think this and put some consideration into what people go through.
A report to March’s committee meeting said: “In addition to the written consultation with all licence holders, officers arranged a workshop session and invited all licence holders.
“Out of approximately 400 licensees, six attended the workshop session.
“All licence holders that attended were fully engaged and their contribution was valued by officers.
“The views and comments made by licence holders have been fully considered and where it was felt necessary to amend the proposed dress code, the decision to amend was, in most cases, taken unanimously.”
During the meeting councillors Joan Butterfield and Bill Cowie voted against the amendment.
What do you think of the new guidelines?
source:
http://www.newsnorthwales.co.uk/news/14 ... horts.aspx
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