The Transport Authority has unveiled a new set of high-security licence forms and stickers, intended to reduce the use of forged documents. It will cost more than $6 million to implement the new security system.

At a press conference yesterday, Transport Minister Robert Pickersgill explained that the agency was forced to implement the new security measures due to the increasing incidence of forgery.

Vernon Walters, manager of information technology at the Transport Authority, explained that the new licence forms and stickers will carry several additional features: text pantograph screen, diamond-shape water mark, invisible fluorescent fibre, thermochromic ink and void copy pantograph screen.

Some features

With these features, he explained, the forms would be rendered useless if a person should attempt to copy or alter them. The discs will mark 'VOID' automatically once the sticker is attached to the windshield of a vehicle to prevent repeated use.

Mr. Pickersgill also announced that the authority had begun accepting applications again for stage carriage, contract carriage, hackney carriage and route taxi licences. Applications for these licences were suspended in October last year to accommodate an islandwide rationalisation survey. More than 44,000 licences were issued to operators of public passenger vehicles and commercial carriers up to the end of December.

The Transport Minister also announced that the authority had procured tents for three of its offices to install additional reception areas to facilitate faster processing of applications. "The authority has purchased new computers and printers with increased efficiency, through improvements in high-speed network, and has retrained staff members in customer service," he said.

He said the agency had also acquired additional parking spaces at 121 Maxfield Avenue and 24 Lyndhurst Road in St. Andrew, to improve customer convenience. A shuttle service will be put in place for customers who use the Lyndhurst Road parking lot.