AQO 9491/11-16

Mr Stewart Dickson
Alliance Party
East Antrim

Tabled Date: 14/01/2016
Answered On Date: 28/01/2016
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of the Environment whether his Department intends to impose taxi regulations on wedding cars.

Answer:

With the speaker’s permission I would like to combine the two Oral questions numbers 9 and 13.

Wedding cars are regarded as taxis within the meaning of the Taxis Act (NI) 2008, as they are vehicles which carry passengers for hire or reward in the course of their business. This means that, amongst other things, wedding cars currently undertake a PSV test and their drivers are required to be licensed taxi drivers.

My Department has taken steps to reduce the regulatory burden by exempting wedding cars from having to use a taximeter or displaying a roof sign or external plates. Further, drivers need not display their Taxi Driver badge and there is an exemption from the Taxi Operator Licensing regime for such operations. In doing so we are putting in place a proportionate licensing regime. This regime strikes the right balance between the important safeguards we put in place to protect the travelling public and the commercial interests of operators.

I have met with representatives of the industry and have been sympathetic to the arguments being put forward in respect of removing them completely from the taxi legislation, including consideration of how drivers of wedding cars who only undertake this type of work should be treated in relation to driving test and periodic training requirements. However removing wedding cars from the Act will require consultation and a Primary legislative amendment. I had hoped for the remaining Taxi legislation implementing the Taxis Act to be well established by now, but opposition to single tier and further issues during 2015 have delayed this progress.

Nevertheless, my Department made the remaining regulations in December 2015 and I am confident that these regulations will be up and running by May 2016.

It therefore remains my intention to review the regulation of wedding car and courtesy transport operations under the Taxis Act, to determine if the regulation is proportionate and fit for purpose.