Bare-chested cabbies could be told to cover up or risk getting booted off Blackpool's taxi fleet, if plans to smarten up black cab and private hire drivers are approved.

The taxi quality proposals follow complaints to Blackpool Council about the appearance and behaviour of drivers, who are often the first person a visitor sees when they visit the resort.

Some cabbies have been reported smoking and others using their mobile phones while driving.

A total of 26 recommendations will go before the council's Neighborhoods and Culture Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting tonight (Thursday) for further discussion.

The proposals could also see all cabs having a uniformed steward on board to escort people leaving clubs and pubs to their taxis.

Another reccomendation is to have CCTV installed in cabs and How Am I Driving? plates attached to the back of every taxi.

More than 700 hundred licensed vehicles could be affected by the proposals as part of the council's plans to make people's experience of getting a taxi in Blackpool more enjoyable and efficient.

Secretary of Blackpool Licensed Taxi Owners' Association, Trevor Boaler, said: "All these proposals are subject to extensive consultation between ourselves, the cabbies and the council.

"We fully support anything which would improve and enhance the standard of the taxis but more capital investment will be needed if these measures are introduced.

"The dress code could become a minefield to enforce as who will decide what is and isn't acceptable?

"And we are certainly not pleased with the, How Am I Driving?' plates.

"They could be disastrous in terms of the burden they will place on the drivers.

"Most of our taxi drivers are highly qualified, experienced and safe but the mistakes of the small minority could reflect badly on everyone."

Incentives may be offered to taxi drivers who comply with the council's requests, in the form of reduced taxi badge fees.

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