The Road Transport (Northern Ireland Passenger Services) Regulations 1980

Regular and shuttle services

4.  In relation to a public service vehicle to which these Regulations apply used to provide a service for the carriage of passengers of a description such as is mentioned in Article 1 or 2 of Council Regulation No. 117/66 (that is to say, a regular service, a special regular service or a shuttle service as defined in those Articles), the provisions of Part III of the Act of 1960 and Part I of the Act of 1980 shall have effect as if section 144 of the Act of 1960 and section 4 of the Act of 1980 were omitted and as if for section 127 of the Act of 1960 there were substituted the following section:—

“127.— (1) No person shall cause or permit a vehicle to be used on a road for the carriage of passengers unless there is in force and is carried on the vehicle a Great Britain (Northern Ireland passenger transport service) authorisation.

(2) An authorisation under this section may authorise the use of the vehicle or vehicles to which it relates on a specified occasion or during a specified period.

(3) A certifying officer or public service vehicle examiner may, on production if so required of his authority, require the driver of any such vehicle as is referred to in subsection (1) above, to produce and to permit him to inspect and copy a Great Britain (Northern Ireland passenger transport service) authorisation relating to the vehicle, and for that purpose may require the vehicle to be stopped and may detain the vehicle for such time as is required for the purpose of inspecting and copying the authorisation.

(4) A person who—

(a) without reasonable excuse, contravenes subsection (1) of this section, or

(b) without reasonable excuse, fails to comply with a requirement of a certifying officer or public service vehicle examiner, or wilfully obstructs an officer or examiner, in exercise of his powers under subsection (3) of this section,

shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding £200.

(5) In this section “specified” means specified in the authorisation, and “Great Britain (Northern Ireland passenger transport service) authorisation” means an authorisation issued by the Minister of Transport for the use of a vehicle or vehicles to which it relates for the carriage of passengers by road in Great Britain.”.