Alternative Taxi Puncture Repair Kits
The Driver and Vehicle Testing Agency have requested that we amend the aforementioned
regulations to allow alternative repair kits to be carried in vehicles that are used as taxis. The impetus
comes from advances in tyre repair technology, which now provides a number of alternatives to simply
changing a wheel when a puncture occurs. Currently
Regulation 45 of the above regulations requires that vehicles to be used as taxis must carry a fully
inflated spare wheel, a jack and a wheel brace or similar tool. The
proposed amendments will be to Regulation 45 of the Public Service Vehicle (Conditions of Fitness, Equipment
and Use) Regulation (Northern Ireland) 1995. We would intend to add a fourth item to para (1) of Regulation
45 stating (as below) that in the case that items identified in (a), (b) and (c) are not carried that
an alternative means of repair is carried and that it is clearly identifiable. This alternative means
would be a post-puncture repair kit. The proposed wording would provide that in the case that the items
identified in (a), (b) and (c) are not present then equipment must be carried to carry out a temporary
repair and re-inflation of a tyre. There is a further
amendment to regulation 45(c) correcting the spelling of “wheelbace” to “wheelbrace” which could be
incorporated.
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