A Dundee taxi driver who proudly emblazoned the saltire on the bonnet of his car had his licence suspended and was ordered to remove the flag by council bosses.
Cabbie Alex Chivers thought he would welcome visitors to the city with the saltire and ‘Scotland the Brave’ proclaimed on the bonnet of his blue Skoda.
Council bosses saw red, however, and banned him from the road until he removed the flag and message.
Mr Chivers, 61, has been driving taxis in the city for 40 years and works from the cab rank at Dundee railway station.
He said: “I am a proud Scot. I couldn’t see what I was doing wrong. I was told it would give a bad impression to arriving visitors.
“But tourists arriving in Scotland expect and want to see everything Scottish and that includes our saltire. I mean, they are absolutely everywhere.
“I understand that we are not allowed anything on the cars to do with the referendum but regardless of what side we are on we should all be proud Scots.”
When he was told by official his car was off the road with immediate effect until he removed the signs he felt he had no choice but to comply.
He added: “It is my car but I have drivers who would have lost wages if I had tried to fight it.
“I had to keep the car on the road so I went back and had it removed. It cost me sixty quid.”
Chairman of the Dundee Taxi Drivers Association Graeme Stephen revealed he and his members had been sent an email from Dundee Council that warned: “We are receiving complaints daily re political stickers appearing on taxis. “As you know advertising of a political nature is not permitted. Could you please advise all you operators/drivers to remove any YES or NO stickers’.
Mr Stephen said: “I understand their position about political stickers. But surely they shouldn’t stop Alex Chivers from simply demonstrating that he is a proud Scot.”
A Dundee City Council spokesman said: “The driver was in breach of the conditions of his taxi licence and was therefore asked to remove the image from the vehicle.”