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I AM vice-chairman of the Southampton Unite/T&G cab section. We have always advocated that taxi drivers should be dressed in appropriate attire.

The report Headline No More Hoodie Cabbies (Daily Echo, April 29) once again gives the taxi trade a bad press. It sensationalises and blows-out-of-all-proportion a point of issue that applies to less than one per cent of Southampton licensed taxi drivers.

A point of issue that the trade has - in more ways than one - shot-itself-in-the-foot once again. At a recent meeting between the council and taxi/private hire representatives, this issue of wearing hoodies and baseball caps was jointly submitted by: 1 The Southampton Hackney Association, whose representative at that meeting is not mentioned in the Echo article; 2 A representative from the Private Hire Association (PHA) with his own agenda. (Other PH representatives, including Radio Taxis who have the largest private hire fleet and a strict dress code for taxis and private hire, were not aware of the items submitted on behalf of the PHA prior to the meeting).

Those present at the meeting were informed by licensing officers, that it was the trade's responsibility to address this problem.

Unfortunately, rightly or wrongly, hooded sweatshirts and baseball caps (to a lesser degree) have become synonymous with criminal and antisocial behaviour. I appeal to taxi drivers not to wear them.

If you have a valid reason for wearing them, then let the licensing office know why.

DAVE GRIFFITHS, Shirley, Southampton.

10:01am Thursday 8th May 2008

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