The Taxi Licensing Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2015

PART 1 N.I. Preliminary

Citation and commencement N.I.

1.—(1) These Regulations may be cited as the Taxi Licensing Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2015 and, subject to paragraph (2), shall come into operation on 31^st May 2016.

(2) Regulations 1 to 3 and Schedule 1, insofar as that Schedule relates to those regulations, shall come into operation on 9^th May 2016.

Interpretation N.I.

2.—(1) In these Regulations—

“the Act” means the Taxis Act (Northern Ireland) 2008;

“the Interpretation Act” means the Interpretation Act (Northern Ireland) 1954 M1 ;

“the 1967 Act” means the Transport Act (Northern Ireland) 1967 M2 ;

“the 1988 Act” means the Road Traffic Act 1988 M3 ;

“the 2011 Act” means the Transport Act (Northern Ireland) 2011 M4 ;

“approved M1 vehicle” means a vehicle which is issued with—

(a)

an EC certificate of conformity under Directive 2007/46/EC M5 ;

(aa)

[F1 an EU certificate of conformity under Regulation (EU) 2018/858;]

(b)

a certificate of conformity in compliance with regulations made under the 1981 Order or the 1988 Act;

(c)

a single vehicle approval certificate in compliance with regulations made under the 1981 Order or the 1988 Act; or

(d)

an individual vehicle approval certificate in compliance with the Road Vehicles (Approval) Regulations 2009 [F2 or the Road Vehicles (Approval) Regulations 2020] M6 ;

“boarding lift” means a lift fitted to a taxi for the purposes of allowing wheelchair users to board and alight from the vehicle;

“boarding ramp” means a ramp fitted to a taxi for the purposes of allowing wheelchair users to board and alight from the vehicle;

“centre” means a centre provided and maintained by the Department under Article 73 of the 1995 Order;

“the Construction and Use Regulations” means the Motor Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1999 M7 ;

“Directive 2007/46/EC” means Directive 2007/46/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 5th September 2007 establishing a framework for the approval of motor vehicles and their trailers, and of systems, components and separate technical units intended for such vehicles;

“entrance” means any aperture or space provided to enable passengers to board the vehicle;

“executive service” has the same meaning as in regulation 2 of the Taxi Operators Licensing Regulations M8 ;

“exit” means any aperture or space provided to enable passengers to leave the vehicle;

“first used” has the same meaning as in regulation 2(4) of the Construction and Use Regulations;

“heavy motor car” has the same meaning as in regulation 2(1) of the Construction and Use Regulations;

“maximum gross weight” has the same meaning as in regulation 2(1) of the Construction and Use Regulations;

“permanent top” means any covering of a vehicle other than a hood made of canvas or other flexible material which is capable of being readily folded back so that no portion of such hood or any fixed structure of the roof remains vertically above any part of any seat of the vehicle;

“portable ramp” means a ramp which is carried on a taxi for the purposes of allowing wheelchair users to board and alight from the vehicle;

“public service vehicle licence” means a licence granted under Article 61(1) of the 1981 Order;

“the Public Service Vehicles Regulations” mean the Public Service Vehicles Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1985 M9 ;

[F3 “Regulation (EU) 2018/858” means Regulation (EU) 2018/858 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 May 2018 on the approval and market surveillance of motor vehicles and their trailers, and of systems, components and separate technical units intended for such vehicles;]

“the Taximeters Regulations” means the Taxis (Taximeters, Devices and Maximum Fares) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2015 M10 ;

“the Taxi Operators Licensing Regulations” means the Taxi Operators Licensing Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2012 M11 ; and

“tour service” has the same meaning as in regulation 2 of the Taxi Operators Licensing Regulations M12 .

(2) For the purposes of regulation 6, section 39(2) to (7) of the Interpretation Act does not apply.

(3) For the purposes of regulations 5(3) and 10(2), section 39(8) of the Interpretation Act applies with the substitution of “ Easter Tuesday ” for “Good Friday”.

Textual Amendments

F1 Words in reg. 2(1) inserted (1.9.2020) by The Road Vehicles (Approval) Regulations 2020 (S.I. 2020/818), reg. 1(b), Sch. 6 para. 30(2)(a)(i) (with Sch. 4 paras. 16, 17)

F2 Words in reg. 2(1) inserted (1.9.2020) by The Road Vehicles (Approval) Regulations 2020 (S.I. 2020/818), reg. 1(b), Sch. 6 para. 30(2)(a)(ii) (with Sch. 4 paras. 16, 17)

F3 Words in reg. 2(1) inserted (1.9.2020) by The Road Vehicles (Approval) Regulations 2020 (S.I. 2020/818), reg. 1(b), Sch. 6 para. 30(2)(b) (with Sch. 4 paras. 16, 17)

Marginal Citations

M1 1954 c.33 (N.I.)

M2 1967 c.37 (N.I.)

M3 1988 c. 52

M4 2011 c. 11

M5 O.J. No. L 263, 9. 10. 2007, p. 1

M6 S.I. 2009/717

M7 S.R. 1999 No.454

M8 The definition of “executive service” is inserted by regulation 2(2) of S.R. 2015 No. 395

M9 S.R. 1985 No.123

M10 S.R. 2015 No. 394

M11 S.R. 2012 No. 316; the relevant amending Regulations are S.R. 2015 No. 395

M12 The definition of “tour service” is inserted by regulation 2(2) of S.R. 2015 No. 395