New taxi drivers face tougher restrictions

TAXI driver groups have given a guarded welcome to a series of reforms for the industry announced by the Commission for Taxi Regulation.

The new rules will place tighter restrictions on future applicants for a taxi licence, which is likely to slow down the number of new entrants to the profession.

Taxi drivers have staged a large number of protests over the past year as part of a campaign calling for a moratorium on the issuing of new licences amid claims that many of their members can no longer earn a decent wage because of an oversupply of taxi plates.