Coaches Visiting Northern Ireland
Page 93
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WE recently made inquiries from the Government of Northern Ireland concerning the procedure for coaches visiting that country. We are informed that the position is that under Section 15 of the Road and Railway Transport Act (Northern Ireland), 1935, the right to carry passengers for hire or reward, in vehicles of the bus type, is vested in the Northern Ireland Road Transport Board. No one else can operate for hire or reward, except with the consent of that Board (the address of which is 10, Royal Avenue, Belfast) and the approval of the Ministry of Home Affairs.
Even assuming that consent were granted in any particular case, it would be necessary to fulfil certain conditions as follow:—( 1) The owner must obtain a p.s.v. licence under the Motor Vehicles Traffic and Regulation Act (Northern Ireland), 1926. This would involve vehicle inspection. The licence fee (bus) is £2. (2) The driver must, in addition to his driving licence, possess a p.s.v. driving licence, and undergo a test on the vehicle concerned; the fee is 5s. (3) The conductor must have a licence at 5s. (4) The owner must take out a Road Fund licence appropriate to Northern Ireland, and have the vehicle insured b3i an approved company.
There is a number of regulations dealing with the procedure for obtaining licences, conduct of owners, drivers, conductors and passengers, and use and construction of vehicles. Details of these can he obtained by us if they be required, but they are too numerous and extensive to be incorporated in the space available.
In view of all these complications, the more usual procedure is to make a contract with the Northern Ireland Transport Board for the provision of vehicles for tours, etc.