Cabbies are turning their backs on a move to smarten up the taxi rank at York Station - despite the appeals of GNER bosses.

No end is in sight for an angry row between independent taxi drivers and the rail firm over new rules that ask drivers to wear a shirt and tie during the winter months.

A deadline for changing over from polo shirts came and went this month as a small group of drivers argued that ties could put them in danger and infringe their human rights.

The drivers are now refusing to follow the shirt-and-tie rule.

But GNER insists that the rank is their property and that drivers have signed a contract for a permit that specifies what they must now wear.

Ernie Wheldon, 61, who has been driving for 11 years, said up to 30 independent drivers were willing to stand shoulder-to-shoulder on the issue, whatever happened. But he said scenes of five years ago, when drivers boycotted the station and at one point blocked the entrance, were unlikely to happen again.

Fellow driver Ian Harrison, 53, said the changes could "threaten his livelihood" if GNER took away his permit. He said: "We don't work for GNER. We have to pay to do them a service for their customers."

David Mallender, of GNER, said drivers had agreed to wear shirt and tie during the winter months as part of the contract for their annual station permits. But he added there are no plans to enforce the rules.

He said: "We're trying to raise standards at York as we have been able to do at other large stations along the East Coast Main Line. Hopefully drivers will join us in raising standards for the benefit of all passengers."

Ian Gillies, of Station Taxis, said the shirt and tie rules were part of a drive to improve the public profile of taxi drivers. He said it is important that visitors get the best possible first impression of the city.

Updated: 09:51 Saturday, October 11, 2003