COUNCIL workers in York have been banned from flying the flag from their vehicles when the World Cup kicks off.

The move will also prevent City of York Council employees placing stickers on the side of vans and trucks to show their support for their countries during the world’s biggest football showcase, which starts tomorrow in South Africa.

In an email sent to staff in its communities and neighbourhood department and seen by The Press, the authority says the banners can present a “safety hazard” and create a “litter problem”, and says they can only be placed inside, not outside, vehicles.

About 200 vehicles, including waste collection lorries, will be covered by the rule.

A spokesman for the Football Supporters’ Federation said: “There is nothing wrong with a bit of patriotism when the World Cup is being staged and it’s quite natural that people would want to show a bit of national pride.

“Allowing flags and stickers does no harm to morale and creates a sense of excitement. It would be nice to see the council reverse its decision.”

Geoff Derham, head of the council’s waste, cleaning and fleet services, said: “The council has asked that all communities and neighbourhood vehicles refrain from attaching anything to the outside of their vehicles.

“This does not mean staff can’t show their support to their chosen football team, it just means flags which are bought to attach to vehicles are very flimsy and we have to consider both the safety and littering aspect when these fall off.

“We have already noticed an increase in the number of these flags at the roadside and we have a duty to prevent litter and not encourage it.

“Staff can display flags inside their vehicle as long as they do not obstruct any vision for the driver through the windscreen, side windows or rear window.”

North Yorkshire County Council and East Riding of Yorkshire Council said they had no policies in place regarding flags on their vehicles, while North Yorkshire Police said there were no legal concerns as long as flags did not obscure drivers’ vision.

Larry Taylor, the joint owner of York-based Six Five Nine private hire firm, said none of his drivers were allowed to fly the England flag, but this was a year-round policy and not just targeted at flags, with the aim being to avoid confrontation or causing offence.

“We don’t allow any sort of identification like T-shirts and flags,” he said.

“If we ban everything, we avoid everything. If we say ‘no religion, sex, politics or sport in the car’ we won’t get into trouble with anybody.”

Jon Prankitt, transport manager at A Rhodes Haulage, which operates from Stockton-on-the-Forest, said the firm did not have a policy on flying flags from its 24 commercial vehicles, adding: “We’ve got more important things to think about.”

• Has your employer banned the flag? Phone Mark Stead on 01904 653051 ext 313 or email mark.stead@thepress.co.uk