Cabbies put foot down on black shoes

Published on Friday 17 May 2002 01:00

EDINBURGH black-cab drivers are resisting attempts to force them to wear shoes the same colour as their vehicles.

A dress code for cabbies has been under discussion since 2000 in a bid to smarten up the image of the city’s fleet, cutting out jeans and T-shirts.

But, although council officials said there was a "reasonable" level of support for the basic requirements - collar and tie and flannel trousers for men, and blouse, skirt or trousers for women - a significant number of cabbies were unhappy at the idea of compulsory black shoes.

They have told the authority that specifying the colour of their footwear is "unnecessarily restrictive".

The code, which has already been subject to a lengthy consultation period, could be set in stone at a meeting on Wednesday next week.

But members of the authority’s licensing committee are being asked to consider allowing smart shoes of any colour as a concession.

Abiding by the code is likely to be made one of the conditions of getting a cab licence.