S.L. 499.56 Art. 68QUse of Malta heritage buses to operate pre- booked services.

(1) The Authority may authorise the use of Malta heritage buses to operate pre-booked passenger transport services for tourists and conference-related purposes only.

(2) The Authority may restrict the number of Malta heritage buses which can operate on the road in Malta as may be necessary for the regulation, management, safety and control of road traffic and for any other reason which the Authority may deem fit.

(3) Where the Authority decides that the number of Malta heritage buses operating on the road in Malta shall be restricted, it shall only allow to operate on the road in Malta those Malta heritage buses which have been chosen following a public competitive process leading to the issuance of a limited number of licences to operate Malta heritage buses, which number shall be determined by the Authority in its sole and absolute discretion.

(4) No licensed operator shall use or permit to be used any Malta heritage bus registered under its operating licence for any purpose other than to provide pre-booked passenger transport services for tourists and conference-related purposes.

(5) The services of Malta heritage buses may not be sold on the road.

(6) The Authority shall revoke the licence of a Malta heritage bus if such Malta heritage bus is operated for any purpose other than pre-booked passenger transport services for tourists and conference-related purposes, or if its services are sold on the road or if it is in breach of any other condition which the Authority may impose from time to time.

(7) Malta heritage buses may be used on the Maltese national territory only.

(8) In order for a vehicle to be issued with a licence to operate as a Malta heritage bus, such vehicle must satisfy the following conditions:

(a) it shall satisfy the requirements stipulated in the definition "Malta heritage bus" as established in regulation 2: Provided that any vehicle which was formerly used as a motor route bus and which was subsequently issued with a passenger transport vehicle licence shall also have the right to participate in the competitive process referred to in paragraph (b) as long as such vehicle has its coachwork manufactured in Malta and has been registered in Malta as a passenger transport vehicle prior to 1 January, 1975 and was registered as such for at least five consecutive years at any time prior to the coming into force of these regulations and is not licensed as a vintage bus in terms of Part X, whether the passenger transport vehicle licence of such vehicle has been surrendered to the Authority in order to obtain a replacement passenger transport vehicle licence and is currently licensed as a private vehicle [in which case such vehicle shall be liable to payment of the entry fee per seat due in terms of regulation 117(6)] or whether such vehicle is had been duly licensed as a passenger transport vehicle and is now entitled to obtain a replacement passenger transport vehicle licence [(in which case the payment of the entry fee per seat established in terms of regulation 117(6) shall not apply]: Provided further that, in the event that such a vehicle which is still duly licensed as a passenger transport vehicle or which is entitled to obtain a replacement passenger transport vehicle licence succeeds to obtain a ‘Malta heritage bus’ licence after participating in the above-stated competitive process, the owner of such a vehicle shall not be entitled to obtain a replacement passenger transport vehicle licence in addition to the ‘Malta heritage bus’ licence thus obtained.

(b) in the event that the Authority decides that the number of Malta heritage buses operating on the road in Malta shall be restricted, it shall have been awarded a licence by the Authority following the competitive process referred to in sub-regulation (3);

(c) it shall be powered either by an engine which runs on LPG or by an engine which is fitted with a diesel particulate filter;

(d) it shall be equipped with an audio recording of not less than ten minutes in length explaining the history of Malta, which audio recording shall be played on every trip made by the Malta heritage bus;

(e) it has a fully functioning air conditioning system; and

(f) it is fitted with a tracking device in accordance with the specifications published by the Authority from time to time.

(9) In order for any person to operate a Malta heritage bus, such person must be in possession of an operator’s licence issued by the Authority for the carrying out of passenger transport services in terms of Part II.

(10) Furthermore, in order for a vehicle licensed for such purpose to operate as a Malta heritage bus, the operator shall:

(a) in addition to the annual circulation fee, pay the applicable annual fee established in the Tenth Schedule;

(b) except for such vehicles which are exempt from the payment of the entry fee as stipulated in the proviso to paragraph (a) of sub-regulation (8), pay the relative entry fee due in terms of regulation 117(6);

(c) comply with all the provisions of Part VII; and

(d) comply with any other conditions which the Authority may impose.