S.I. No. 535/2012 - Taxi Regulation Act 2003 (Taxi Branding) Regulations 2012.

Notice of the making of this Statutory Instrument was published in

“Iris Oifigiúil” of 1st January, 2013.

The National Transport Authority, in exercise of the powers conferred on it by section 34 of the Taxi Regulation Act 2003 (No. 25 of 2003) (as amended by section 13 of the Roads Act 2007 (No. 34 of 2007) and section 43 of the Public Transport Regulation Act 2009 (No. 37 of 2009)), hereby makes the following regulations:

1. These Regulations may be cited as the Taxi Regulation Act 2003 (Taxi Branding) Regulations 2012.

2. These Regulations come into operation on 1 January 2013.

3. In these Regulations—

“Act of 2003” means the Taxi Regulation Act 2003 (No. 25 of 2003);

“authorised supplier” means a supplier authorised by the National Transport Authority to supply and affix the approved external sign to taxis and wheelchair accessible taxis in accordance with these Regulations;

“Authority” means the National Transport Authority;

“Small Public Service Vehicle Regulations” means the Road Traffic (Public Service Vehicles) Regulations 1963 to 2003 insofar as they apply to small public service vehicles and Regulations made under section 34 of the Act of 2003;

“taxi” means a vehicle in respect of which a taxi licence is in force;

“taxi licence” means a licence granted under the Small Public Service Vehicle Regulations in respect of a taxi;

“wheelchair accessible taxi” means a vehicle in respect of which a wheelchair accessible taxi licence is in force; and

“wheelchair accessible taxi licence” means a licence granted under the Small Public Service Vehicle Regulations in respect of a wheelchair accessible taxi.

4. Without prejudice to any other requirements under the Act of 2003 or the Small Public Service Vehicle Regulations, the Authority shall not, as and from 1 January 2013,—

(a) grant or renew a taxi licence or wheelchair accessible taxi licence in respect of a vehicle, or

(b) transfer a taxi licence or wheelchair accessible taxi licence to a different vehicle,

unless an approved external sign is affixed to the vehicle in accordance with these Regulations.

5. Without prejudice to any other requirements under the Act of 2003 or the Small Public Service Vehicle Regulations, a person shall not operate or purport to operate a taxi or wheelchair accessible taxi as and from—

(a) in the case of a taxi licence or wheelchair accessible taxi licence first granted by the Authority on or after 1 January 2013, the date the licence is granted, or

(b) in the case of a taxi licence or wheelchair accessible taxi licence first granted before 1 January 2013, the earlier of the date the licence is next renewed by the Authority or the date the licence is transferred to a different vehicle,

unless—

(i) a vinyl self-adhesive approved external sign in the form specified in Part 1 or Part 2 of the Schedule has been affixed by an authorised supplier to the front door on the left side and the front door on the right side of the vehicle, and

(ii) the approved external sign referred to in sub-paragraph (i)—

(A) is affixed to the vehicle in such manner that it is clearly visible and can be easily inspected; and

(B) is complete, in good condition and free from any significant blemish.

6. An approved external sign affixed to a taxi or wheelchair accessible taxi by an authorised supplier in accordance with paragraph (5) shall—

(a) prior to being affixed to the vehicle, be customised by such authorised supplier by inserting the taxi licence number or wheelchair accessible taxi licence number of the vehicle in the space marked “XXXXX” in the form of approved external sign specified in Part 1 or Part 2 of the Schedule, as the case may be, and

(b) be affixed in a semi-permanent manner and shall not be capable of being removed in the ordinary course.

7. An approved external sign shall only be affixed to the vehicle the subject of the taxi licence number or wheelchair accessible taxi licence number referred to in such approved external sign.

8. Upon the expiry or revocation of a taxi licence or wheelchair accessible taxi licence, the holder of such licence shall promptly procure the removal of any approved external sign affixed to the vehicle to which such licence relates.

SCHEDULE

Part 1

Part 2

GIVEN under the Seal of the National Transport Authority,

20 December 2012.

JOHN FITZGERALD,

Chairperson National Transport Authority.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Instrument and does not purport to be a legal interpretation.)

These Regulations require that vinyl self-adhesive approved external signs in the form specified in Part 1 or Part 2 of the Schedule be affixed to all taxis and wheelchair accessible taxis.