COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL
MEETING OF TRANSPORTATION SPC
Thursday, February 23, 2012
HEADED ITEM NO. 5
Proposed Draft Bye Laws for the control and operation of Taxi Stands (Ranks) within the administrative area of South Dublin County Council.
Draft South Dublin County Council Appointed stands (street service vehicles) BYE-LAWS
Minutes of Lucan ACM December 6th 2011
REPLY:
Following the introduction of revised Control of Parking Bye Laws in 2010, the Council undertook to review the provision of taxi ranks in certain areas. The areas included in this review are Lucan, Clondalkin, Tallaght, Palmerston and Rathcoole. Amongst the concerns expressed at that time were the availability of spaces for taxis, the location of the ranks and the overflow areas where taxis could wait prior to a booking or picking up a fair.
Section 15 of the Road Traffic Act 2002 came into operation on 1st February 2003. This legislation empowers a local authority to make bye-laws in respect of any specified area in its functional area (in this section referred to as ‘a taximeter area’) for all or any of the following purposes:
· appointing the places (in this section referred to as ‘appointed stands’) in the taximeter area at which taxis may stand for hire,
· fixing the maximum number of taxis which may stand for hire at the same time at any particular appointed stand,
· specifying appointed stands at which taxis may stand for hire at particular times only and specifying those times,
· determining the manner in which taxis shall make use of and stand for hire at any particular appointed stand,
· prohibiting taxis from standing for hire at places in the area that are not appointed stands, and
· otherwise regulating and controlling the use of appointed stands by taxis.
Procedure
(1). Where a local authority proposes to make bye-laws under this section, it shall—
· consult with the Commissioner, and
· publish a notice in Iris Oifigiúil and in one or more newspapers circulating in the taximeter area to which the proposed bye-laws will relate stating—
o that the authority proposes to make bye-laws under this section in relation to the area,
o the times at which, the period (being of 4 weeks duration) during which and the place in the functional area of the authority where a copy of the draft bye-laws may be inspected and purchased,
o that representations may be made to the authority by any person affected before a specified date (which shall be not less than 2 weeks after the end of the period referred to, and make the draft bye-laws available for inspection and purchase at the times, during the period of 4 weeks, and at the place specified in each case in the notice aforesaid.
(2) Where a notice is published pursuant to subsection (1) of this section, a person may make representations in relation to the proposed bye-laws to the local authority concerned before the date specified in the notice, and the authority shall, before deciding to make the bye-laws and determining their contents, have regard to any such representations.
(3) As soon as may be after the making of bye-laws under this section—
(a) copies of the bye-laws shall be made available for inspection and purchase by the public at a place in the functional area of the local authority concerned, and
(b) notice of their making and of the place aforesaid shall be published in one or more newspapers circulating in the area aforesaid.
(4) The function conferred on a local authority by subsection (1) is a reserved function.
Attached is a proposed set of bye laws that can be progressed as proposed taximeter areas are identified. These are similar to bye laws that have recently been adopted by Dublin City Council and Fingal County Council.
To assist in the identification of these areas it is proposed to consult with relevant traders, residents and representatives of the taxi trade. When agreement is reached a report will be brought to the relevant area committee for its recommendation. The bye laws will then be presented to the County Council for adoption.
The council is currently finalising proposals for a taxi rank in Lucan and a report in this regard will be presented to the meeting of the Lucan Area Committee on 28th February.