From wearing tracksuits,flip flops,dirty clothes. The code is not legally binding. Got this off bbc red button news.

I'm a taxi driver on the Wirral. I only found out about this today. Whilst I agree with it to some extent there are a number of issues that'll affect other drivers who are clean & tidy - like myself. I know it's targeted at those who appear scruffy dirty and unkempt but in doing so, it has the threat of affecting me.
 
I wear clean clothes each day. Mostly, it'll be tracksuit bottoms, clean (sparkling in fact!) trainers (my OCD helps!) and a t-shirt or jumper/fleece if it's cold. I'm clean, showered and tidy and my car is immaculate. I wear tracksuit bottoms as they provide me with a lot more comfort during the day than jeans (although I will wear them occasionally). I also wear shorts during the hot weather. I'd rather not be a sweating, uncomfortable mess for any of my passengers and not one of our regular or account customers has ever had any issue with it. Some have even commented on how cool and 'summery' I look.
 
This won't change a thing. Banning certain items of clothing worn by some of the scruffier drivers will only mean dirty jeans instead of tracksuits, crumpled trousers instead of shorts. It won't address the issue like they're intending. I will continue to dress as I've always done and know full well I'm smart, clean, tidy and presentable. Until such time as this becomes an enforceable law then it isn't going to make me wear uncomfortable clothing. I'm driving my car for hours each day (in sweltering heat at times), helping shoppers all day, helping elderly and disabled passengers all day and I'd like to feel comfortable, cool and un-irritated whilst doing so.

What the hell has wearing a tracksuit got to do with driving a car?

yes cleansliness is a must but tracksuits? comeon!

I'm not much of a tracksuit guy myself. I believe the tracksuit should be worn in the gym/sporting activities etc... however If one is driving around all day tracksuit bottoms are perfectly acceptable...

Its a shame people are judged by the way they dress and not by their content of character or their ability to help others. If i remember rightly the Kray twins always looked very smart and Mr Hitler looked very dapper in his little uniform, if those two examples are anything to go by, then god help us. Its not and shouldn't be what the taxi driver looks like, its down to the service he provides.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-merseyside-11302416

i worked in the taxi industry myself for 5/6 years operating and i must admit some of the driver & there cars where a discgrace even now the same drivers pick me up. cars coverd in cigarette ash and smelling quite bad!

some private hire firms in london have the right idea drivers in suits and cars must be valeted every week.

Yes I agree with Karl, the vehicle must be clean at all times, I've seen some cars which are downright revolting! Shame on those drivers, do they not care what people think?
What must their homes be like?

my other half was at the meeting the other night. he sits on the jcc as a union rep.on the agenda it says the current private hire driver licence conditions require that a private hire driver is clean & respectable in there dress & person. in Glasgow they have to wear shirt & ties.I would rather get in a clean taxi with a smart driver than in a scruffy taxi.Shorts are ok in the summer so long as theyre smart. As they say first impressions count.A lot of places wear polo tops with the firms name on so why not taxi drivers.

I agree, but I used to drive around the country wearing a suit and it's something you just did, as do millions of sales executives, bus drivers, train drivers, etc. Think the whole shell suit as formal work dress isn't nice, it just looks horrible.

Dress code is all about standards and I am afraid standards have gone down to the bottom of the hill in this country.

I agree the car should be clean and tidy, but this is not about cars, this is about the people who drive them and what they consider comfortable work clothes. I have never worn track suits, shell suites or even shorts other than playing sports in my life, nor would i, but i go to work in working clothes suitable for the work i carry out, and thats all a taxi driver is doing, all i want from a Taxi driver is a bit of pleasantness (not compulsory) and to get me from A to B safely. I'm off now to complain to the council because the binman wasn't in his Savile row suit.

I can't say it bothers me too much as I haven't got a taxi in years, but if the boss wants them to wears uniform, how hard can it be? Also, some taxi drivers assume you want to be assaulted with f*cking fook sh*t tw*t look at her tits, so what's it matter what they wear.

They dont really have a boss they are self employed so the boss cant really tell them what to wear

the owner of the firm they represent should tell them.Delta in liverpool have meetings between the owners & drivers.

Thats all well and good but 99% of the drivers over here think they are above the firm and dont listen anyway.

i heard on the grapevine anyway delta from liverpool are opening up over here down by the old M53 ford if they do then i think most of the drivers over here will go and work for them.

I'd be quite happy to wear a company polo shirt if provided. As has also been mentioned, my car IS valeted once a week and mats hoovered every other night. As for wearing suits like London private hire - their £11 minimum fare should ensure they can purchase a 3-piece Saville Row special for each working week of the year.

As for Delta, I wouldn't be chomping at the bit to work for them. Why would I?

Liam i didnt say you should have to wear suits i was making the point that SOME private hire in london have to wear them. As mentioned my gripe is with the cars not too botherd about the clothes as they should wear whatever they are comfortable in for long periods of driving but if they cant even be botherd to make sure there car is clean then they shouldnt be driving taxis the state that some of the cars are in is terrible. One driver's car who regularly picks me up in the monring round the north end is digusting there is ash everywhere from smoking (which is illegal anyway) the seats are dirty. The driver himself is dirty and to top it off he is as miserable as they come!

Delta are one of the biggest firms in europe and they are ran properly so as a driver it would benefit you working for them, wirral satellite over here is a shambles the 5 years i spent working for them where hell! very very corrupt company

Sorry Karl. I must've misunderstood you slightly - that's what comes with a rapid read via my phone! I do agree about some vehicles but I can honestly say that I can't think of one on our system that sounds like the one you've been unfortunate enough to be picked up in! In those cases, a simple phone call to the Town Hall with the driver/car licence number should ensure that it gets looked at.

I know Delta are large and apparently run well but I'd rather work for a smaller, ultra-reliable and more personable firm than a large, mostly faceless company.

the larger the firm the more settle they will charge in the end the taxi firm owners make the most money look at
DAVY LIVER
or as over here are wirral satellite cars.

still going on the dress code, so long as you dont wear a shirt made of meat lol

Unless its Halal of course dont want to go upsetting certain people

Never understood people who wear tracksuits when they don't do any sports. Might as well wear a pair of speedos for it all it does (though I will never get into a taxi if the driver is wearing just a pair of trunks).

My father owned a taxi company in hoylake/meols and always wanted something like this happen as there is a lot of really scruffy drivers out there.

I have to agree with jimbob that the standard of dress in the UK has hit rock bottom. With the price of clothes these days, there is absolutely no excuse for looking scruffy and you often pay more for the scruffy stuff than the smart stuff which is madness. E.g. You can buy a suit in Asda for less than the price of a pair of Levis, Wranglers, etc. with "designer holes", torn pockets, etc. in them! Can't people see that they are being ripped off buying clothes that are only fit for the bin?

Yes, first impressions count whether you like it or not and you never get a second chance to make a first impression! Also, you never know who you are likely to meet in the course of a day and you get treated very differently if you dress smartly too!

When our company introduced "smart casual" instead of us wearing business suits in the office in the late 90's it wasn't long before the department director sent out an email to all telling us what smart casual meant and that he should not see folks in the office wearing what he described as "gardening gear". The guidance said polo shirts are acceptable but not t-shirts i.e had to have a collar. Nothing with large logos all over it, e.g. rugby/football shirts, no denims although chinos and cords were acceptable and no trainers. As a result of some guidance, we all ended up being casual, but also looked smart and presentable if a customer came into the office to visit.

What is wrong with people's dress sense these days? Yes I have a pair of jeans, and a sweat shirt, but they are only used if I want to clean out the gutters, do some gardening, fix the car, etc.

DJ_Karl_David your comment "They dont really have a boss they are self employed so the boss cant really tell them what to wear" is untrue. Yes they are self employed, but they get most of their business from the taxi/minicab companies. There is absolutely no reason why the cab company boss cannot insist on people who are representing his company being smart. Many Parcelforce drivers are self employed, but they must wear the company uniform and have the correct colour signwritten van!

God never realised I offended so many when wearing my jeans and football tops, must apologise straight away and no offence was meant I was simply wearing what I was comfortable in and was always clean.

Has God been in touch Diz

I prefer to be smart in work, you seem to get more respect. I've got to be scruffy when I'm at home as I'm always working on cars and oily stuff.

Standards certainly have dropped, I've always judged the person, not the clothes they stand in, not the car they drive or the worldly possessions they own. Give me someone who has nothing with a charitable soul and a compassionate heart any day than someone who has everything and wouldn't piss on you if you were on fire. Its a sorry day when we start judging people on the cut of their cloth.

I think there is a lot to be said for a person who takes pride in their appearance, takes pride in their work. When in my line of work, you very rarely meet customers face-to-face, I think you can to a degree get away with being a bit of a scruff and wearing whatever you feel like, but as soon as employee's and/or clientel are added to the equasion, I think it should be completely different, and you should strive to look as smart as possible, and meet an ideal for the enviroment you are working in (for instance wearing a suit as an engineer in a factory isnt practical). When meeting a client, be it a millionaire or a regular client, a smart, presentable appearence, is a must, if nothing else, it shows the person you have pride in your work and your job - if they see you cca't really be bothered to spend 5 minutes making the effort, they are not exactly going to leave feeling fulfilled with trust in you and the company you represent.

As for taxi drivers, its hard to say they should wear suits, because we have all become pretty much used to them being scruffy, but I must admit, it would not only make it look much better, but also present a far better image to foreigners and the like visiting our great country. However, there is a lot to be said for you average, down to earth, run-of-the-mill London or Scouse cabbie as being an attraction and must-do for any visitor wanting to see the real UK.