car owners at the end of every month, transport officials believe.

Motorists will be required to renew their licences on their birth dates instead of by the end of the month in which they bought their vehicles.

Government wants to make the Transport Control Department more "user friendly'', Transport Minister the Hon. Maxwell Burgess said in introducing the Motor Car Amendment Bill in the House of Assembly on Monday.

TCD director Mr. Donald Dane believes the move will end long lines at the department every month, which often resulted in complaints from irate customers.

"We do 70 to 80 percent of our work during the last week of the month,'' Mr.

Dane said.

"But during the second and third weeks nothing is going on. Everyone comes in during the last week and it is not fair on us because it is stressful and people become irate.'' Holders of current licences can still renew them when they are due to expire.

But thereafter, they must renew them on their birthday, he said.

Deputy Opposition Leader Mr. Walter Roberts expressed one concern about the Bill, however.

He said his birthday "like many others'' happened to fall around Christmas-time, which was a very expensive time for most people.

The Bill contained several other changes to aid the issuing of driver's licences.

New cars will no longer need to be examined by a TCD examiner in order for them to be licensed. Dealers will be permitted to carry out the examination, following written guidelines.

Public service vehicles will no longer have to be examined quarterly, but twice yearly.

And driver's licences were given a longer life: From five to ten years for 18 to 65-year-olds, and from three to five years for over-65s, who must also take a driving test.

MPs also approved an amendment Bill increasing motor car licensing fees.

They will go up five percent across the board in April: Fifty to 100cc motor cycles will cost $37.80 to licence; Private cars, between $147 and $750 depending on class; Taxis, $348; Trucks and tractors, between $594 and $1,521; Airport limousines, between $768 and $1,533; Boat trailers, $315 for commercial use and $69 for club use; Vehicle trailers, between $81 and $330; Tractor trailers, $2,250; Farm tractors, $15; Special garbage collection vehicles $1,809; Community service vehicles, $555.

Shadow Transport Minister Mr. Dennis Lister said he felt Government "could have given the people a chance to properly overcome the recession'' before raising licence fees.