Transport Act (Northern Ireland) 1967 facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Transport Act (Northern Ireland) 1967

Parliament of Northern Ireland
Long title	An Act to make further provision for the re-organisation of public transport and otherwise to amend the law relating to transport; and for purposes connected therewith.
Citation	1967 c. 37 (NI)
Dates
Royal assent	14 December 1967
Other legislation
Amended by	The Road Service Licensing (Community Licences) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2013, The Public Service Vehicles (International Passenger Services) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2019, The International Road Passenger Transport (Amendment) (Northern Ireland) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019, The Transport Act (Northern Ireland) 2011, The Road Passenger Transport (Qualifications of Operators) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2014, The Insolvency (Northern Ireland) Order 2005 (Consequential Amendments) Order (Northern Ireland) 2015, Road Traffic (Northern Ireland) Order 2007, The Departments (Transfer of Functions) Order (Northern Ireland) 2016, The Decimal Currency Act 1969, The Insolvency (Northern Ireland) Order 2005 (Consequential Amendments) Order (Northern Ireland) 2015, The Insolvency (Northern Ireland) Order 2005, The Debt Relief Act (Northern Ireland) 2010 (Consequential Amendments) Order (Northern Ireland) 2016, The Perjury (Northern Ireland) Order 1979, The Fines and Penalties (Northern Ireland) Order 1984, The Financial Provisions (Northern Ireland) Order 1983, The Transport (Northern Ireland) Order 1977,The Companies Act 2006 (Consequential Amendments etc) Order 2008, The Appropriation (No. 3) (Northern Ireland) Order 1984, The Roads (Northern Ireland) Order 1993, The Road Traffic Regulation (Northern Ireland) Order 1997, The Railways Clauses Consolidation Act 1845, The Railway and Canal Traffic Act 1854, the Railways Clauses Act, 1863, The Penalty Fares (Increase) Order (Northern Ireland) 2016
Repealed by	The Road Traffic (Northern Ireland) Order 1995 , The General Consumer Council (Northern Ireland) Order 1984, The Transport (Northern Ireland) Order 1977, The Transport (Amendment) (Northern Ireland) Order 1990, The Road Traffic, Transport and Roads (Northern Ireland) Order 1984, The Transport (Northern Ireland) Order 1977, The Goods Vehicles (Licensing of Operators) Act (Northern Ireland) 2010, The Smoking (Northern Ireland) Order 2006
Status: Amended
Revised text of statute as amended

The Transport Act (Northern Ireland) 1967 (c 37) (NI) was a law passed by the Parliament of Northern Ireland. It was created to help organize public transport better, including roads, trains, and buses. A very important part of this Act was setting up the Northern Ireland Transport Holding Company. This company is now known as Translink, and it is owned by the government. Translink manages trains and buses across Northern Ireland.

Rules for Road Travel

This part of the Act dealt with rules for carrying passengers by road, like buses and taxis. Over the years, many of these rules have been updated or changed by newer laws.

Road Service Licences

• Section 4: This section talked about getting "road service licences." These were like special permits needed to operate public transport services on roads.
• Section 5: This section explained what information people needed to provide when applying for these licences. Some parts of this section were later removed in 2015.
• Section 6: This section outlined how road service licences were granted. Many of its rules were also changed or removed in 2015.
• Section 6A: This section allowed the refusal of a road service licence in certain situations.
• Section 7A: This section dealt with conditions that needed to be met and reported for licences. Part of it was removed in 2014.
• Section 8: This section set out how long road service licences would last. Part of it was removed in 2015.
• Section 9: This section covered the fees for road service licences.
• Section 10: This section explained how road service licences could be taken away or temporarily stopped (revoked or suspended). Some parts were removed in 2014.
• Section 10B, 10C, 10D: These sections added rules about special permits for buses used by schools and other groups.

General Rules for Licences

This part of the Act contained general rules that applied to the licences mentioned earlier.

• Section 31: This section required records to be kept of all licences.
• Section 32: This section allowed copies of licences to be made.
• Section 33: This section covered how licences could be transferred from one person or company to another.
• Section 34: This section made it illegal to fake (forge) a licence.
• Section 35: This section made it illegal to make false statements when dealing with licences.
• Section 36: This section dealt with sharing information related to licences.
• Section 37, 38, 39, 40, 41: These sections gave powers to inspectors to check on transport services, get information, seize certain items, and deal with people who tried to stop them. Many of these rules have been updated or removed by newer laws.
• Section 42: This section explained the role of the police in enforcing these rules.
• Section 43: This section covered how legal cases (prosecutions) related to the Act would be handled.
• Section 45: This section allowed for more detailed rules (regulations) to be made for these parts of the Act.

The Northern Ireland Transport Holding Company

This is a very important part of the Act, as it created the Northern Ireland Transport Holding Company, which later became Translink.

• Section 47: This section officially set up the Northern Ireland Transport Holding Company.
• Section 48: This section described the main jobs and responsibilities of the Holding Company.
• Section 49: This section gave the government Minister the power to tell the Holding Company what its main goals and policies should be.
• Section 50: This section dealt with what the Holding Company should do with any extra money it earned.
• Section 51: This section gave the Holding Company the power to borrow money.
• Section 52: This section required the Holding Company to keep proper financial records, have them checked (audited), and report on its activities.
• Section 53: This section included other important rules about the Holding Company and its smaller companies (subsidiaries).
• Section 54: This section allowed for pension plans for the company's employees.

Railway Services

This part of the Act also covered how railway services would be provided and managed.

• Section 55: This section dealt with the provision of railway services.
• Section 56: This section outlined the powers of the railway company.
• Section 57: This section allowed the railway company to make its own rules (byelaws) for its services.
• Section 59: This section allowed people to complain if railway services were not good enough.
• Section 60: This section covered how railway services could be stopped (discontinued).
• Section 61: This section dealt with closing down railway lines. Some parts of this section were removed in 1985.
• Section 62: This section gave powers to buy land if a railway line needed to be moved for road building. Part of this was removed in 1994.
• Section 63: This section allowed for government money (Exchequer grants) to help pay for big railway projects.
• Section 64: This section allowed the Holding Company to give financial help to the railway company.
• Section 65: This section made it illegal to enter railway property without permission (trespass).
• Section 66: This section covered safety rules at railway crossings.
• Section 67: This section included other important rules about the railway company.

Building New Railways

This part of the Act added rules about building new railway lines.

• Section 67A: This section gave powers for building new railways.
• Section 67B: This section allowed the Holding Company to buy land needed for new railways.
• Section 67C: This section allowed for getting information about who owns land.
• Section 67D: This section gave power to enter land for railway purposes.
• Section 67E: This section added more details about the power to enter land.
• Section 67F: This section explained how public paths or roads could be closed if they were in the way of a new railway.
• Section 67G: This section dealt with changing the path of rivers or canals if needed for railway construction.
• Section 67I: This section covered orders made under these railway construction sections.
• Section 67J: This section explained how older railway laws from 1845 and 1863 would apply to new railway building.

Penalty Fares on Buses and Trains

This part of the Act introduced rules about "penalty fares" on public transport. A penalty fare is a fine you have to pay if you don't have a valid ticket or pass when you travel.

• Section 67K: This section explained how the rules for penalty fares would work.

Transferring the Transport Authority

This part of the Act dealt with moving the responsibilities and property of the old transport authority to the new Holding Company.

• Section 68: This section officially moved the old transport authority's business to the Holding Company.
• Section 69: This section covered how the Holding Company could transfer or rent its property to the railway company.
• Section 70: This section added more details about renting property from the Holding Company to the railway company.

Other Important Rules

This part of the Act contained various other rules and general provisions.

• Section 75: This section ended the Transport Tribunal, which was a special court for transport issues.
• Section 75A: This section allowed for government money (grants) to be given for transport facilities and services. This section was later removed in 2013.
• Section 78: This section allowed for more detailed rules (regulations) to be made for the Act.
• Section 81: This section explained the meaning of different words used in the Act. Some of these definitions have been removed over time.
• Section 83: This section gave the Act its short name and said when it would start to be used.

SCHEDULE 1A - Changes for Railway Construction

This schedule explained how certain parts of another law, The Roads (Northern Ireland) Order 1993, would be changed when building new railways. Some parts of this schedule were removed in 1994.

SCHEDULE 1B - Rules for Penalty Fares

This schedule provided the detailed rules for how penalty fares would be applied on buses and trains. For example, it set out the amounts of the fines.