NI Taxi Bill aims to drive up standards

Legislation to improve taxi services in the North and make it easier to clamp down on illegal taxiing has been introduced by the North's Environment Minister Arlene Foster.

The Taxis Bill aims to improve safety and drive up standards in the industry.

Ms Foster said: “I will continue to tackle the menace of illegal taxiing. I am determined to apply tougher enforcement and other measures to make sure that every taxi on our roads is safe, driven by an insured, licensed driver and operated through a reputable taxi business.”

The Bill will create a new framework for regulating taxis and bring in operator licensing for taxi businesses, new training and testing requirements for taxi drivers and tighter controls on taxi fares.

The PSNI and DOE will be given stronger enforcement powers and there will be tougher penalties for unlicensed taxiing.