14Older taxis may continue to operate

14 Older taxis may continue to operate

(1)  Despite any provision of the Taxi and Hire Vehicle Industries Act 2008 or of the Taxi Industry Regulations 2018 , the Commission may do any one or more of the following:

(a) approve a vehicle for use as an ordinary taxi or as a wheelchair-accessible taxi;

(b) issue a licence in relation to a vehicle or transfer a licence to a vehicle –

even if the vehicle –

(c) is a wheelchair-accessible taxi and the vehicle –

(i) in the case of a remote taxi area – is more than 7 years old; or

(ii) in the case of any other taxi area – is more than 12 months old or has an odometer reading of more than 1 000 kilometres, or both; or

(d) is an ordinary taxi and the vehicle –

(i) in the case of a vehicle operated under a taxi licence in relation to a metropolitan taxi area – is more than 5 years old; or

(ii) in the case of a vehicle operated under a taxi licence in relation to an area other than a metropolitan taxi area – is more than 7 years old.

(2)  Despite any provision of the Taxi and Hire Vehicle Industries Act 2008 , a vehicle used, or intended for use, as a wheelchair-accessible taxi is not to be taken to fail to meet the criteria set out in Schedule 1 to that Act by reason only that the vehicle –

(a) in the case of a remote taxi area – is more than 7 years old; or

(b) in the case of any other taxi area – is more than 12 months old or has an odometer reading of more than 1 000 kilometres, or both.

(3)  Despite any provision of the Taxi and Hire Vehicle Industries Act 2008 or of the Taxi Industry Regulations 2018 , the responsible operator of a taxi licence in relation to a wheelchair-accessible taxi is not to be taken to fail to meet the criteria set out in to the by reason only that the vehicle –