(1)It shall be lawful for any railway company whose railway system is situate wholly or partly in Northern Ireland, to provide, own and maintain omnibuses, coaches and other vehicles moved, propelled or drawn by mechanical or animal power (in this Act referred to as “road vehicles”) and to use and run road vehicles upon public highways for the conveyance of passengers and passengers' luggage and the carriage of merchandise; and for the purposes of this Act any such railway company shall have the following powers:—
(a)To demand and take fares and charges in connection with such conveyance and carriage as aforesaid;
(b)To provide and equip garages, workshops, offices and other buildings in connection with the exercise of the powers conferred upon such railway company by this Act;
(c)To apply their funds in connection with the exercise of any of their aforesaid powers; and
(d)From time to time to raise such moneys as may be necessary for the purpose of providing road vehicles, garages, workshops, offices, machinery, plant and equipment in connection with the exercise of their aforesaid powers, as if that purpose were a purpose for which such railway company may, by virtue of their powers as existing immediately before the passing of this Act, raise money by borrowing or by the creation and issue of new stock as additional capital, and subject to any limitations applicable to the exercise of their last-mentioned powers.
(2)The provisions of the [F1 Road Traffic (Northern Ireland) Order 1981 [1981 NI 1] ], or of any other enactment (including regulations or bye-laws made under any such provisions) which apply to the use of vehicles of any class or description on public highways, and to the licensing and regulation of such vehicles and the drivers and conductors thereof, shall apply and have effect in connection with the use by any such railway company of road vehicles of that class or description on public highways, and for the purpose of the licensing and regulation of the drivers and conductors thereof.
(3)Save as provided by the foregoing provisions of this section, the powers conferred upon any such railway company by this Act may be exercised, notwithstanding the provisions of any enactment for the regulation of railway undertakings, or for restricting the operation of any particular railway undertaking or the powers of any such railway company.
(4)For the purposes of this Act—
The expression “railway company” includes a committee of a railway company and any person or body being the owner or lessee of or working any railway constructed or carried on under the powers of any enactment:
The expression “merchandise” includes goods, minerals, live stock and animals of all descriptions:
The expression “enactment” includes a local Act and an Order confirmed by, or having the effect of, an Act.
F11981 NI 1