The Taxis (2008 Act) (Commencement No. 1 and Transitory Provision) Order (Northern Ireland) 2009

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Order)

This Order brings into operation on 23^rd November 2009 the provisions of the Taxis Act (Northern Ireland) 2008 (“the Act”) specified in the Schedule as outlined below.

Section 21 amends the Road Traffic Regulation (Northern Ireland) Order 1997 to provide for the Department for Regional Development to make taxi regulation orders concerning taxis, taxi stands etc.

Section 40 gives the Department of the Environment power to stop and examine motor vehicles suspected of illegal taxiing.

Section 54(1) of the Act, insofar as it relates to the power in Article 65 of the Road Traffic (Northern Ireland) Order 1981 (power to make bye-laws regulating public service vehicles within any area) to make bye-laws which could be included in an order under Article 27A of the Road Traffic Regulation (Northern Ireland) Order 1997.

Section 54(4) and (5) provides for the application of the Road Traffic (Northern Ireland) Order 1981 and the Road Traffic (Northern Ireland) Order 1995 in so far as they relate to taxis, to roads in the area controlled by the Belfast Harbour Commissioners or other harbour commissioners, having similar powers in relation to their harbour areas, and for the purposes of those Orders such roads are deemed to be roads to which the public has access. A member of the Belfast Harbour Police will have the same powers as a member of the Police Service of Northern Ireland to enforce the provisions outlined in this section.

In Schedule 2 a number of minor and consequential amendments are brought into operation.

Article 3 makes a transitory disapplication to a contravention in Schedule 1 to the Traffic Management (Northern Ireland) Order 2005.