CABBIES will be told they can no longer wear baseball caps or football shirts while they are driving under a new licensing policy.

Colchester Council’s licensing committee is due to discuss taxi licensing on Wednesday and one of the topics within the policy is dress code.

The policy says: “The council regards its drivers as ambassadors for the borough and, therefore, first impressions are important.

“All drivers are required to be respectably dressed, clean and tidy in appearance and must adhere to the council’s dress code.

“Tops should cover the shoulders and be capable of being worn inside trousers/skirts and shorts.

“Trousers may either be full length or shorts, if tailored.

“Clothing should be of sufficient length when the driver is seated as to not offend against decency.”

Items banned include unclean or damaged clothing, clothing bearing offensive or suggestive words, graphics or logos, vests, tracksuit or jogging bottoms, ripped jeans, football, rugby or cricket tops, clothing with studs, baseball caps and any clothing that obscures the face.

But drivers questioned whether the new rules are acceptable.

One driver said baseball caps were useful for improving vision and he pointed out services including the police wore caps as part of their uniform.

He said: “This seems to me a bit strange.

“I personally wear a baseball cap when driving for practical reasons.

“It is much more efficient in keeping the sun out of your eyes than the standard in car visor, especially because it covers side dazzling and still allows you to have full view of your mirrors.

“It also during the day reduces glare even when not driving into direct sunlight.

“On another point, in this day and age they are an acceptable part of actual uniform for all kinds of people from postmen to fully uniformed police officers, in fact your own parking enforcement officers wear them.

“I can understand if you ask they are a simple plain colour without any logos or team emblems, but to ban them outright is, frankly, unreasonable.”

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