The number of licensed taxis in Northern Ireland has reached its lowest number for 10 years.

According to reports, official figures show that at the end of March, there were 8,761 licensed taxi vehicles.  That is down by 2% compared to the same time last year, and by nearly 7% compared to three years ago.

Department for Infrastructure figures also showed an even more substantial fall in the number of licensed taxi drivers in Northern Ireland.  The number of taxi driver licences in force at the end of March was 10,268, down 9% year-on-year down from a high of 15,000 five years ago.

"This reduction may have been exacerbated by the introduction of a new taxi driver theory and practical driving test, which was introduced on 31 October 2014," the Department for Infrastructure said.