New app to book taxis in Guernsey launches

The app has launched ahead of Guernsey hosting the Island Games this weekend. Credit: ITV Channel

A new app has been launched allowing people in Guernsey to book a taxi through their journeys.

It was one of the recommendations made after last year's Taxi and Private Hire Car Review.

It is hoped that the app will allow islanders to have more convenient access to taxis, reduce the amount of "dead mileage" through wasted journeys and improve the taxi experience across the island.

The app launched on Monday 3 July, and every taxi driver on the island is expected to sign up by the time their licenses are renewed in January 2024.

The President of Guernsey's Environment and Infrastructure Committee, Deputy Lindsay de Sausmarez, said: “There is strong customer demand from islanders and an expectation from visitors that this kind of app is available in Guernsey.

"The independently authored Taxi and Private Hire Car Review highlighted that the provision of a booking app for taxis is vital for the future of the sector."

It is hoped the introduction of the Guernsey Taxi App will increase the number of islanders using the service. Credit: ITV Channel

Those in the industry have welcomed the announcement. Nicki Bessin, Head of the Guernsey Taxi Drivers Association, said: "The GTDA have been working with Driver and Vehicles Licensing for the last seven months, looking at ways in which a Taxi App could be developed and implemented in Guernsey.

"Taxi Apps have been successful in many other regions of the world, and it has been a growing requirement for the technology to be brought to us here in Guernsey.

"We are pleased the new Guernsey Taxi App has been launched in time for the Natwest International Island Games and we hope the scheme will be adopted positively by the the industry as well as the consumer."

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