Taxis Act (Northern Ireland) 2008

Power to stop and examine motor vehicles suspected of illegal taxiing etc.

40.—(1) Where an authorised officer or constable in uniform has reason to believe that any motor vehicle is a taxi being used in standing or plying for hire or reward or to carry passengers for hire or reward in contravention of any provision of or made under this Act or the 1981 Order, the officer or constable may stop and examine the vehicle.

(2) Where an authorised officer or constable has stopped any vehicle under subsection (1), the officer or constable may require—

(a) the driver of the vehicle; and

(b) any person who has made, is making or intends to make, use of that vehicle for the carriage of passengers for hire or reward,

to provide the officer or constable with all such information, and produce for the officer’s or constable’s inspection all such documents, as the officer or constable may reasonably require for any of the purposes mentioned in subsection (3).

(3) Those purposes are—

(a) obtaining the name and address of the owner of the vehicle, operator of the vehicle or driver of the vehicle, and

(b) ascertaining, in relation to any passengers who have been, or are being, or are to be carried on the vehicle for hire or reward, particulars of—

(i) the number of passengers;

(ii) the places from which and to which the passengers have been, are being, or are to be, carried;

(iii) the carriage of the passengers for hire or reward.