Infrastructure Minister John O’Dowd (centre) has announced a pilot scheme to allow taxis in certain classes to use designated bus lanes in Belfast during road works associated with the Grand Central Station project.
The move aims to alleviate traffic congestion and support the taxi industry during the construction period.
Classes A and C taxis, which are currently restricted from using bus lanes, will be permitted to do so under the pilot scheme.
A full road closure of Durham Street will be in place for up to 12 months to facilitate the necessary public realm works.
Minister O’Dowd said: "My department has worked closely with Translink to manage traffic flow during the ongoing construction, however some level of disruption is unavoidable while these important works are carried out.
"In order to alleviate some of the disruption, and to support the taxi industry, I have asked my officials to urgently bring forward proposals which will permit Class A and Class C taxis to use certain bus lanes in the vicinity of the works.
"My department will be taking forward the necessary legislative arrangements as quickly as possible and I will announce further details on the commencement of the pilot in the near future."
The decision to allow taxis to use bus lanes has been welcomed by business improvement district Belfast ONE. Martina Connolly, CEO of Belfast ONE, praised the temporary measure but emphasised the need for additional measures to address the broader traffic congestion issues in the city.
She called for a meeting with the Infrastructure Minister to discuss further proposals to reduce congestion.
Matthew Knowles, 45, from Foxwood, was convicted by a jury in August of two counts of meeting a girl for sexual purposes.
Two private hire drivers from Darlington have been fined after being caught illegally plying for hire in the town centre.
A woman has been sentenced to six months in prison for assaulting a taxi driver and causing £500 worth of damage to his cab.
On Tuesday 9 October, City of York Council’s Licensing and Regulatory Committee met to discuss its draft new Hackney Carriage and Private Hire policy.
Black cab drivers in London are facing a significant issue due to a cyberattack on Transport for London (TfL).
The bus gate was installed six months ago on Corporation Street in Preston by Lancashire County Council (LCC) in a bid to reduce traffic at peak times and allow buses right of way.
John Igoe, director of Mi Taxis Nuneaton has offered £1,000 to catch intruder who assaulted his operator at 8am on the morning of Saturday 12 October.
Driver has been reported to Cheshire West and Chester Council enforcement team who will hopefully take swift action
This is a fantastic initiative, a life changer for these ladies to be able earn an income to feed their families.
Danish Ali, who works for Ride Taxis, reported three separate attacks in recent weeks, involving young people throwing stones at his vehicle.
The reveal at the 'We, Robot' event also saw announcements for expanded autonomous driving capabilities in the Model 3 and Model Y Tesla vehicles.
Plain-clothed officers from the Tactical Firearms Unit (TFU) spotted the passenger acting suspiciously in Cromwell Road on Friday, October 4.
The Royal Borough Council is considering ditching the traditional purple livery for licensed hackney carriages, replacing it with a simpler design that features the borough's coat of arms.
A London cab driver who miraculously survived a heart attack has launched a fundraising campaign to provide more defibrillators across the city.
Dozens of angry Uber drivers took to the streets of Bristol on Wednesday to protest against the company's recent decision to slash customer fares by 50%.
Serwan Mahmoud, 43, was caught transporting £76,000 in cash on the M4 near Cardiff.
Dara Khosrowshahi, the CEO of Uber, has outlined the company's ambitious plans to accelerate its transition to a fully electric fleet in the UK.
Chesterfield drivers staged a protest outside the town hall on Tuesday, October 8, to voice their concerns about the impact of Wolverhampton-licensed cabs on their livelihoods.
Wolverhampton Council is taking steps to curb the number of private hire drivers it licenses following a series of sexual abuse cases involving licensed taxis.
Taxi drivers may avoid seeking professional help due to concerns that it could be reported to the DVLA, affecting their ability to drive