Y-plate taxis in Gozo more than doubled in the last five years, according to figures tabled in parliament on Monday.

By the end of last month, there were 456 Y-plate vehicles in Gozo - up from 199 in 2019.

Transport Minister Chris Bonett tabled the figures in a reply to a parliamentary question by PN MP Chris Said.

Y-plate vehicles are cars and vans specifically licenced to chauffeur passengers, often by offering an app-based taxi service. The third letter on their number plate is a 'Y'.

Y-plate taxis have grown remarkably popular in the last decade, with thousands of people increasingly opting to use ride-hailing apps such as eCabs, Bolt and Uber to get from one place to another without needing to take the bus while avoiding parking problems.

Recently, National Statistics Office data revealed the number of taxis shot up by almost half in one year between 2022 and 2023.

The number of cabs, however, represents just less than one per cent of the total number of vehicles in the country – including privately owned cars.

In July of last year the government introduce new rules requiring cab drivers to have a driving licence issued by an EU country - a move which forced many drivers from third-country nationals out of the job.