IN THE NEWS
BOLTON CABBIES SLAM COUNCIL’S HIGHLY OFFENSIVE AND DEROGATORY PORTRAYAL
Taxi drivers in Bolton have slammed their portrayal in a council report as ‘highly offensive and derogatory’. According to the Manchester Evening News, Bolton Council is to adopt tougher minimum standards for the taxi trade which fall into line with other Greater Manchester boroughs. On Monday 13 September, the council’s Conservative controlled cabinet endorsed a recommendation of 17 standards, including a dress code which will be be applied to all drivers in Bolton. Enhanced criminal background checks for drivers every six months are also included in a range of new minimum licensing rules set to be brought in by December. A report to Bolton Council’s cabinet, by borough licensing officers, gave the reasons behind the introduction of a dress code, which would ban the wearing of ‘sportswear’, including football shirts. It stated: “Licensing authorities receive numerous complaints annually with regards to driver dress standards and related personal hygiene. “In the worst examples, passengers have reported that drivers wearing shorts have had their private parts on display. “It is merely about drivers considering and reflecting on what they wear as a licensed driver and not about uniform.”
Speaking on behalf of Bolton licensed drivers in a response to the report, Mo Akram slammed the reference to ‘private parts being on display’. He said: “The report contains the above extract, which is highly offensive and derogatory of the pre- dominantly Asian led trade in Bolton. “It is a sweeping generalisation of the whole demographic within the trade. “The vast majority of the licensed
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drivers in Bolton are hard working individuals and have been tarred with the same brush, alluding to these individuals as being sexual predators. “Drivers understand the need to dress appropriately without the need for any formal dress code. “Drivers and companies exercise judgement at all times and are very cautious as to not comment on the hygiene or the dress of the travelling public. “The report does not state when or how any such alleged incident surrounding ‘private parts’ occurred and what action was taken, more importantly the findings of any investigation. “This is the first time such a gross incident has been made public to sup- port the council’s recommendation to generate support from the public.” Mr Akram also criticised the ‘no sportwear’ rule in the dress code policy. He said: “The council within the dress-code lists sportswear, items such as football and rugby shirts which are banned, with no reason provided. “Some drivers may wish to wear a sporting jersey on match days and have expressed their dissatisfaction in not being able to express their support on match days or on national sporting events. This area needs re-reviewing. “The council is fully aware that it cannot enforce a uniform however feels the need to dictate what is and what is not suitable.” The dress code states: “All clothing worn by those working as private hire or hackney carriage drivers must be in good condition and the driver must keep good standards of personal hygiene. “As a minimum standard whilst working, males should wear trousers
and a shirt, t-shirt or polo shirt which has a full body and short or long sleeves. Knee length shorts are acceptable. “Females should wear trousers, or a knee length skirt or dress, and a shirt, blouse, t-shirt or polo shirt which have a full body and a short or long sleeve. Knee length shorts are also acceptable. “Footwear while working as a licensed driver shall be secure around the toe and heel.” Bolton currently has a condition attached to a licence to drive private hire vehicles which requires drivers to 'be clean and respectable in dress and person’ but hackney carriage drivers are not subject to that condition. The council said it is proposed to remedy this by adopting a system of dual badges with one licence issued that covers both private hire and hackney carriage. Examples of unacceptable standards of dress in the code include ‘clothing that is not kept in a clean condition, free from holes, rips, or other damage’ and ‘words or graphics on clothing that is of an offensive or suggestive nature’. It forbids the wearing of sportswear such as football and rugby kits including team shirts or beachwear but says tracksuits are acceptable and adds that the wearing of any hood or any other type of clothing that may obscure the driver’s vision or their identity is not acceptable. The changes come as all 10 Greater Manchester councils look to adopt similar rules for the 2,000 hackney vehicles, 11,500 private hire vehicles and upwards of 18,600 drivers who are currently licensed across those authorities. Bolton Council did not respond to requests for comment about Mr Akram’s views.
OCTOBER 2021
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