2.—(1) In Article 63 of the Road Traffic (Northern Ireland) Order 1995 (NI 18) (obligatory test certificates for certain motor vehicles) after paragraph (7) insert—
“(7A) The Department may by regulations make provision for the issue, in such circumstances as may be prescribed, of a certificate of temporary exemption in respect of a vehicle, exempting that vehicle from paragraph (1) for such period as may be specified in the certificate.” .
(2) In Article 64 of that Order—
(a)paragraph (4) (which provides for the issue of certificates of temporary exemption in respect of certain public service vehicles) is repealed; and
(b)in paragraph (5) for “so adapted” substitute “ adapted to carry more than 8 passengers ”.
(3) In Article 72 of that Order (regulations prohibiting the grant of excise licences for certain vehicles except on compliance with certain conditions) in paragraph (2) after sub-paragraph (b) insert—
“(bb)there is produced in respect of the vehicle a certificate of temporary exemption issued by virtue of paragraph (7A) of Article 63 which exempts that vehicle from the provisions of paragraph (1) of that Article for a period which includes the date on which the licence is to come into force; or” .
(4) In Article 180 of the Road Traffic (Northern Ireland) Order 1981 (NI 1) (production of documents) at the end add—
“(9) In paragraphs (2) and (4)—
(a)a reference to a test certificate includes a reference to a certificate of temporary exemption issued by virtue of paragraph (7A) of Article 63 of the Order of 1995; and
(b)a reference to a goods vehicle test certificate includes a reference to a certificate of temporary exemption issued by virtue of paragraph (5) of Article 69 of that Order.” .