S.L. 499.56 Art. 68RLicences for operators to operate electric trolley vehicles.

(1) The Authority may issue licences for operators to operate electric trolley vehicles in the localities in Malta indicated in the Fourteenth Schedule.

(2) Licensed operators of electric trolley vehicles shall only provide national occasional services subject to the following conditions:

(a) operators shall only be able to operate electric trolley vehicles in such localities listed and shown in the Fourteenth Schedule;

(b) operators shall not charge passengers a fare in excess of the electric trolley vehicles maximum fare stipulated in the Fifteenth Schedule, which fare is to be displayed at all times on all electric trolley vehicles and at all electric trolley vehicle stands;

(c) electric trolley vehicles shall stop in order to allow the alighting of passengers at such places as shall be instructed by the passengers themselves and the drivers of electric trolley vehicles shall be obliged to ensure that the process of alighting of passengers is conducted safely and without causing any obstruction to traffic;

(d) electric trolley vehicles may not ply for hire and may only pick up passengers from an electric trolley vehicle stand; and

(e) operators and drivers of electric trolley vehicles shall comply at all times with any other condition which may be established by the Authority.

(3) The Authority may restrict the number of electric trolley vehicles authorised to operate national occasional services as may be necessary for the regulation, management, safety and control of road traffic and, in such case, licences for electric trolley vehicles shall be issued following a public competitive process under such terms and conditions as shall be established by the Authority.

(4) Without prejudice to the provisions of regulations 14 and 112, the Authority shall suspend or revoke the licence for the operation of an electric trolley vehicle if the operator fails to comply, on one or more occasions, with the provisions of sub-regulation (2) and sub-regulation (8) of this regulation and such a breach or repeated breaches warrants, in the absolute discretion of the Authority, the suspension or revocation of the licence of such operator.

(5) All electric trolley vehicles used for the transport of passengers shall be duly registered, licensed and insured.

(6) When submitting an application for a vehicle to be licensed by the Authority as an electric trolley vehicle the applicant shall, in his application, in addition to any other documentation and information which may be requested by the Authority, specify -

(a) the maximum number of passengers which the electric trolley vehicle may carry in accordance with the type-approval certificate;

(b) the over-all length of the vehicle;

(c) the over-all width of the vehicle; and

(d) the articulating angle in degrees or turning circle in meters of the vehicle.

(7) Drivers of electric trolley vehicles shall wear a uniform and shall also wear, at all times and in a conspicuous place, the identification tag issued to them by the Authority. The uniform to be worn by drivers of electric trolley vehicles shall be subject to the approval of the Authority.

(8) Operators of electric trolley vehicles shall be obliged to ensure that -

(a) all such electric trolley vehicles are properly fitted with audio mechanisms by means of which the driver may communicate any necessary notices, warnings or information to the passengers aboard;

(b) all such electric trolley vehicles are right-hand drive vehicles;

(c) all the details specified in the application submitted in terms of sub-regulation (6) continue to be observed and remain unchanged;

(d) no modifications to any electric trolley vehicle is carried out following the issuance of the certificate authorizing the use on the road of such vehicle;

(e) all such electric trolley vehicles are fitted with a mechanism which does not permit such vehicles to be driven at a speed which exceeds 25 km per hour;

(f) prior to the use of an electric trolley vehicle on the road, such vehicle is covered by a certificate issued by a warranted mechanical engineer which certifies that it has passed a roadworthiness test conducted in his presence on safety of brakes, lights, steering mechanism, audio mechanism and condition of tyres and that it is fitted with the mechanism provided for in paragraph (e) and that such mechanism is functioning properly;

(g) such roadworthiness test is conducted every twelve months prior to the renewal of the licence;

(h) the electric trolley vehicle can always be accessed for the boarding and alighting of passengers only from the left hand side of the vehicle;

(i) the electric trolley vehicle is properly designed and equipped to allow and facilitate access to persons with disability and mobility problems; and

(j) the electric trolley vehicle has all adequate and necessary signage and equipment in order to ensure the safety of its passengers.

(9) Electric trolley vehicle services shall not be sold on the road other than within five metres of an electric trolley vehicle stand: Provided that a person selling such services from an electric trolley vehicle stand or on board an electric trolley vehicle, which person may also be the driver of the electric trolley vehicle, shall wear, at all times and in a conspicuous place, an identification tag issued to him by the operator of the electric trolley vehicle services which shall contain a photograph of the person in respect of whom it is issued, his name and his identity card number and the name of the operator.

(10) No person shall -

(a) sell, or

(b) cause or permit another person to sell electric trolley vehicle services in breach of the provisions of sub-regulation (9).

(11) No person shall solicit, whether directly or indirectly, any other person in any location for any electric trolley vehicle service.