Plans to encourage taxi drivers to work on weekends and public holidays are moving forward.

Lawrence Scott, the Minister of Transport, said that an initiative to update the regulatory framework of the public service vehicle industry was now under way following a consultation process with key players, including taxi, minibus, and limousine operators.

Speaking in the House of Assembly yesterday morning, Mr Scott said that a 2019 Green Paper identified that there were not enough public service vehicles after 5pm, Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays to service visitors and residents, particularly at the airport, Dockyard, St George’s and Front Street.

Mr Scott said: “The ministry is currently reviewing the stakeholder responses.

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“This phase also includes a review of current public service vehicle legislation, policies, and procedures to ensure they are relevant, consistent, and effective and they help protect stakeholders, and users alike.

“Considerations are given to ensuring the sector is up to date with the latest technology and consistent with the industry's best practices.”

Mr Scott added that the initiative would “include the modernisation and harmonisation of public service vehicles through a phased approach over five years”.

He said: “The overarching aim is to ensure a level playing field for the industry to better deal with the continuing and inevitable changes and meet customers' needs better.”

He also said that the framework upgrade would improve customer service and “regulate the provision of a robust public service vehicles licensing system”.

Mr Scott told MPs that the second phase of the plan “will focus on opportunities and options that can be made available to improve the quality of life for owners and operators of public service vehicles, generating revenue for the Government, and making it easier to enter the public service vehicle services industry”.