Q Could you say how many ° standing passengers may be
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carried on a public service vehicle ? Does the vehicle capacity, including standing passengers, have to be marked on the vehicle ?
A The Public Service Vehicles and Trolley Vehicles (Carrying Capacity) Regulations, 1954, provide for the carriage of standing passengers in psv.
Regulation 4 allows passengers equal to one third of the seating capacity of a singledeck vehicle or the seating capacity of the lower deck of a double-deck vehicle when either is being used as a stage carriage up to •a maximum of eight standing passengers.
Regulation 5 allows the Traffic Commissioners t o authorise within their traffic area such a number of standing passengers as they might think fit on express carriages to •the same standards as in regulation 4, again with a maximum of eight.
Regulation 6 allows the Traffic Commissioners t o authorise within their traffic area any single-deck vehicle (other than a psv being used as an express or contract carriage) being a vehicle specially constructed or adapted for the purpose, the number of standing passengers for which the vehicle has been certified by the appropriate officer as constructed or adapted and fit to carry.
However, Regulation 7 stipulates that no standing passengers shall be carried on any vehicle under Regulations 4, 5 and 6 on (a) a half-decked vehicle, (b) on the upper deck of a double-decked vehicle (c) if there is a vacant seat on the vehicle and (d) unless a conductor is carried thereon.
Sub-paragraph (d) does not apply in the case of a singledeck vehicle (not being a vehicle required to carry a conductor under any other statutory provision) if the Traffic Commissioners have certified that in their opinion a conductor is not required on the particular service upon which, or in the particular circumstances in which, the vehicle is being used.
The Minister and the Traffic Commissioners have powers to attach to any approval of a 'route or any road service licence a condition prohibiting or restricting the carriage of standing passengers.
Regulation 8 deals with the marking of vehicle capacities.
This states that the seating of every vehicle shall be clearly marked with letters not less than one inch in height inside the vehicle in such a 'position as to be visible from the outside thereof, or on the outside of the vehicle either at the rear or the nearside thereof.
Every marking shall (a) in the case of a double-decked vehicle, indicate respectively the seating capacity of the lower and upper deck ; (b) in the case of a single-decked vehicle specially constructed or adapted for the carriage of standing passengers and in respect of which a certificate has been issued under Regulation 6, indicate respectively the seating and standing capacity of the vehicle ; (c) in any other case indicate the seating capacity of the vehicle.