Taxi-drivers will no longer be able to transfer their licences from next January under a range of measures announced today aimed at reducing rogue operators.

They will also be subject to a new penalty point system and could lose their licences for breaching regulations.

And from next year Irish taxis will get a makeover as they will have to carry new branding on the front doors of their vehicles.

The 19,000 taxis here will have to display large stickers with a green and blue stripe saying ‘Taxi’.

It is aimed at making taxi drivers more professional and accountable.

It is one of a comprehensive package of reforms contained in the Taxi Regulation Act which is due to be published before the end of the year.

It will be based on 46 recommendations made by the Taxi Review Committee.

They include a ban on the transfer or sale of taxi licences, a limit of 9 years on the age of vehicles and a reduction of the period taxi licences can be inactive.

The National Transport Authority (NTA) now carries out the functions previously undertaken by the Commission for Taxi Regulation.

It comes after the NTA absorbed the Commission back in 2011.

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