Transport bosses are taking steps to address problems with Belfast's lack of taxis and late buses or trains ahead of the party season.
It comes as many people are preparing to enjoy a night out in the city over the festive season but face the worry that they may miss their last bus or train home or not be able to get a taxi.
The issue has become something of an ordeal over recent months, particularly at weekends, due to no late buses or trains and around 30% fewer taxi drivers than pre-pandemic.
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Stephen Anton, communications manager of Fonacab, has been among those lobbying the Department for Infrastructure (DfI) on behalf of taxi operators.
He said operators have been asking DfI to make changes to the current testing system to make it easier to become a taxi driver and attract more into the industry.
Official figures show that at the end of March 2022 there were 8,152 licensed taxi drivers, compared with over 14,000 in 2014.
Mr Anton told Belfast Live: "Saturday night is the busiest time of the week for the night time economy and for taxis. Our drivers are kept busy for most of the week these days, but the evenings and the weekends are when demand really outstrips supply unfortunately.
"Whenever taxi depots advertise for more drivers, we're just moving pieces around the board as there's nobody else joining the industry. If that's what all of us did between now and Christmas, it's not going to make things any better."
Fonacab has been campaigning for over two years for changes to the process for becoming a taxi driver. Prior to 2014, prospective drivers needed to have three years continuous driving experience on a standard licence and pass a medical and an enhanced Access NI check.
But in 2014 a bespoke theory and practical test was also introduced and currently only around 23% on average are passing the theory element.
Mr Anton said the firm is taking a number of steps to attract more drivers into the industry including a new driver development programme and online and classroom-based learning to help more drivers pass the theory test.
He added: "The upside is that the interest to date has been incredible and we believe the uptake will be very good. The downside is that getting new drivers into the industry will not happen before Christmas as it takes time to go through the process of passing the test etc.
"We believe that during lockdown, many taxi licence holders went off to work for other companies so there are around 2,000 drivers in Northern Ireland not currently using that licence.
"We have said to any driver with a licence gathering dust that we'll help them to get back on the road quickly and easily by arranging a short-term car and insurance
"Thirdly, if a driver's taxi licence has expired and they've left the industry less than two years ago, it's actually quite easy to get it back by bringing their Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC) up to date.
"So by bringing dormant and ex-drivers back, we're hoping that will make a big difference between now and Christmas. We need to increase capacity across the board and certainly at weekends."
In response, a DfI spokesperson said the department has no direct role in the recruitment or retention policies that taxi operators have in place.
They added: “DfI is responsible for the regulation of the taxi industry. This role requires balancing the needs of taxi customers, including vulnerable passengers, as well as drivers and operators.
"DfI remains committed to working within this remit to play its part, alongside those in the taxi industry, to address the range of issues the industry faces.”
Mr Anton has also advised customers on how they can improve their chances of getting a taxi home at the weekend.
“Number one, if you have ordered a taxi in advance for midnight and it's on its way to you, please be there. Otherwise if the driver turns up and you're not there, they'll only wait for so long before moving on to the next customer and be potentially late for that next booking.
“Secondly, try and avoid booking more than one taxi and if you don't need another taxi, please cancel it. Some people book with several different taxi companies and when one turns up, they get into it. But the others also turn up only to find that they've had a wasted journey when they could have been picking someone else up.
“Thirdly, avoid booking a taxi for extremely busy zones like the Cathedral Quarter as you may not be able to book a taxi. By moving into quieter areas, it may well benefit your booking. Trying to book from busier locations is always more difficult because there's more demand in those areas."
Meanwhile Translink has said its late-night ‘Nightmovers’ services will be in operation over the festive period to provide much needed transport options for people visiting and socialising over Christmas.
The changes will come into force this Saturday, November 19 and include additional rail services and enhanced capacity on existing services every Friday, Saturday and Sunday until December 23. Late-night trains will also be introduced from Friday, December 2.
The company is due to announce further details about its services in the coming days.
A spokesperson added: “Translink will be operating additional late-night bus, coach and train services in the lead up to Christmas helping to support the night-time economy in both Belfast and Derry~Londonderry.
“We’ve worked closely with a range of stakeholders to develop this package and support the local economy at this crucial time of year. We’re encouraging everyone to use public transport for hassle-free, cleaner and great value festive journeys with fares frozen and a range of discount tickets available to choose from.
“Full details on our festive travel package and Christmas timetable arrangements will be announced soon with details available on our website, social media channels and via our contact centre.”
But SDLP councillor Gary McKeown has called for the changes to be made permanent and extended year-round.
“The SDLP has been highlighting the lack of late-night transport options in our city for some time and believe these services should be year-round to ensure people get home safe and to support our night-time economy, but we realise this requires strategic planning and investment. I’m looking forward to Translink announcing more details of their ‘Nightmovers’ service in the coming days,” he said.
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