Taxis in Northern Ireland operate similarly to those in other parts of the United Kingdom and Ireland but have a few regional distinctions in terms of regulation.
History
The first horse dram tram service on the
island of Ireland
Ireland (, ; ; Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe. Geopolitically, the island is divided between the Republic of Ireland (officially named Irelanda sovereign state covering five-sixths of th ...
began in 1854 at
Fintona
Fintona (; ), is a village and townland in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. Its population at the 2011 Census was 1,164.
Name and etymology
Fintona is derived Phonetics, phonetically from the Irish name of the area, ''Fionntamhnach''; this is ...
, County Tyrone. Black taxis were introduced in Belfast in the 1970s. Taxi drivers frequently transgressed the boundaries between Protestant and Catholic areas of West Belfast during
the Troubles
The Troubles () were an ethno-nationalist conflict in Northern Ireland that lasted for about 30 years from the late 1960s to 1998. Also known internationally as the Northern Ireland conflict, it began in the late 1960s and is usually deemed t ...
. In 2004, the first all-female taxi company in Northern Ireland was founded.
Policies
Taxis Act (Northern Ireland) 2008
The Taxis Act (Northern Ireland) 2008 (c. 4 (N.I.)) regulates taxis in Northern Ireland.
The act was criticised by the Transport and General Workers Union who described the Department of the Environment as "not telling the truth" about the impacts of the legislation.
The act allowed taxis to be used without a booking in advance.
Dermot Devlin, a disability activist, has suggested that the act be reforemd to improve accessibility of taxis.
According to Devlin, accessible taxis are "non-existant" as of April 2025.
Categories
Taxis have four classifications: class A, class B, class C and class D.
In 2024, taxis were temporarily allowed to use bus lanes in Belfast if they fell under class A or class C.
In 2025, a review of the licensing system was initiated.
The first stage of the review considered Class C licencing.
References
{{Reflist
Transport in Northern Ireland
Taxis of the United Kingdom