The Taxis (Taximeters, Devices and Maximum Fares) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2021

Made: 22nd November 2021

Coming into operation: 24th November 2021

In accordance with section 16(3) of that Act the Department has taken into consideration recommendations made by the General Consumer Council for Northern Ireland.

Citation and commencement

1

These Regulations may be cited as the Taxis (Taximeters, Devices and Maximum Fares) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2021 and shall come into operation on 24th November 2021.

Amendment of the Taxis (Taximeters, Devices and Maximum Fares) Regulations

2

• (1) The Taxis (Taximeters, Devices and Maximum Fares) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2015[^f00004] are amended in accordance with paragraphs (2) to (4).

• (2) In regulation 4 (application)—

• (a) at the beginning of paragraph (2) insert “Subject to paragraph (3),”

• (b) after paragraph (2) insert—

(3) The fee referred to in paragraph (2) shall not apply where the application is received on or after 24th November 2021 but no later than 28th February 2022 and in such circumstances regulation 5(2)(b) shall not apply.

• (3) In regulation 11 (condition of taximeter and device)—

• (a) at the beginning of paragraph (1) insert “Subject to paragraph (3),”; and

• (b) after paragraph (2) insert—

(3) During the period from and including 24th November 2021 to 31st May 2022 where a taximeter does not have a seal in accordance with regulation 7, for any of the reasons in paragraph (4), the taxi is permitted to be used to stand or ply for hire or reward or carry passengers for hire or reward on the condition that an application for inspection, testing and sealing of the taximeter has been made in accordance with regulation (4). (4) The reasons referred to in paragraph (3) are— (a) the seal has been broken for the purpose of calibrating the taximeter so as not to exceed the maximum fare rates; (b) the seal has been broken for the purpose of amending specified days in accordance with these Regulations; or (c) a new taximeter has been fitted and has not yet been inspected, tested and sealed in accordance with these Regulations.

• (4) For the Schedule substitute the Schedule set out in the Schedule to these Regulations.

SCHEDULE

Signed

Sealed with the Official Seal of the Department for Infrastructure on 22nd November 2021

Chris Hughes — A senior officer of the Department for Infrastructure

Explanatory note

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

EXPLANATORY NOTE

These Regulations amend the Taxis (Taximeters, Devices and Maximum Fares) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2015 (“the Taximeter Regulations”).

They increase the maximum fare rates and permit a taxi to be operated without a sealed taximeter between 24th November 2021 and 31st May 2022 in the following circumstances but only if an application for a taximeter test has been made:

• (a) the seal has been broken to facilitate the calibration of taximeter fare rates;

• (b) the seal has been broken to facilitate the amendment of specified days; or

• (c) a new taximeter has been fitted and has not yet been inspected, tested and sealed in accordance with the Taximeter Regulations..

The Regulations also provide for the fee for inspection, testing and sealing of a taximeter to be waived where the application for the taximeter test is made and received during the period 24th November 2021 to 28th February 2022.

In addition the Regulations provide for specified days to be amended by Royal Proclamation.

An Explanatory Memorandum has been produced and is available from Safe and Accessible Travel Division, Department for Infrastructure, Clarence Court, 10-18 Adelaide Street, Town Parks, Belfast BT2 8GB or online alongside this Regulation at http//www.legislation.gov.uk/nisr

Footnotes

[^f00001]: Formerly the Department for Regional Development; see section 1(6) and (11) of, and Schedule 1 to, the Departments Act (Northern Ireland) 2016 (2016 c. 5 (N.I.)). Pursuant to section 1(9) of that Act, the Department of the Environment is dissolved

[^f00002]: 2008 c. 4 (N.I.); section 56(2) was amended by paragraph 92 of Schedule 14 to S.I. 2010/976

[^f00003]: See Article 8(1)(b) of, and Part 2 of Schedule 5 to, the Departments (Transfer of Functions) Order (Northern Ireland) 2016 (S.R. 2016 No. 76)

[^f00004]: S.R. 2015 No. 394; relevant amending Regulations are S.R. 2016 No. 148 and S.R. 2017 No. 225