Public Service Vehicles (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2004

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Regulations.)

These Regulations amend the Public Service Vehicles Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1985 (S.R. 1985 No. 123). The principal amendments are as follows:

1.  Regulation 3 is amended to include the definition for “taxi bus” as a taxi licensed for private hire which operates a service under a road service licence granted under Part II of the Transport Act (Northern Ireland) 1967.

2.  Regulation 6 is amended to require plates to be presented at the time of testing.

3.  Regulation 7 removes the need for taxis to display a disc and prescribes the form of plates to be displayed on a taxi or taxi bus.

4.  Regulation 12 is amended to provide for the application for duplicate plates.

5.  Regulation 13 is amended so that –

(a) information to be submitted as a condition of the licence is forwarded to the Department instead of the nearest vehicle inspection centre; and

(b) on the change of ownership of, or the expiry of a licence for, a taxi or taxi bus, plates shall be returned to the Department.

6.  Regulation 14 is amended in that a person may not deface or alter a plate and not display any plate which has been defaced, altered or has become illegible.

7.  Regulation 16 is amended so that if the address of the licensee changes during the currency of his licence he shall forward details of the change to the Department.

8.  Regulation 17 is amended to require plates to be delivered to the Department on the revocation or suspension of a licence, or removed upon the issue of a notice of prohibition.

9.  Schedule 7 is amended by increasing the fee payable with the initial application and with a re-application for a licence for a taxi from £61.50 to £120.00.

10.  A new Schedule 10 is inserted which specifies the details to be inserted on plates; the size, colour and material composition of the plates, and where they are to be located on the vehicle.

These Regulations have been notified to the European Commission pursuant to Directive 98/34/EC of 22nd June 1998 (O.J. No. L204, 21.7.98, p. 37) as amended by European Parliament and Council Directive 98/48/EC of 20th July 1998 (O.J. No. L217, 5.8.98, p. 18) laying down a procedure for the provision of information in the field of technical standards and regulations and of rules on Information Society services.