Road Traffic Act 1972

• (a) except in a case falling within paragraph (b) or (c) of this subsection, for a period of three years or, if the Secretary of State so determines in the case of a licence to be granted to a person appearing to him to be suffering from a relevant disability within the meaning of section 87 of this Act, for such shorter period, not less than one year, as the Secretary of State may determine ;

• (b) in the case of a licence granted in exchange for a subsisting licence and in pursuance of an application requesting a licence for the period authorised by this paragraph, for a period equal to the remainder of that for which the subsisting licence was granted; and

• (c) in the case of a provisional licence, for a period of one year;

and any such period shall begin with the date on which the licence in question is expressed to come into force.

• (2) Where it appears to the Secretary of State that a licence granted by him to any person is required to be endorsed in pursuance of any enactment or was granted in error or with an error or omission in the particulars specified in the licence or required to be so endorsed on it, the Secretary of State may serve notice in writing on that person revoking the licence and requiring him to deliver up the licence forthwith to the Secretary of State.

• (3) Where the name or address of the licence holder as specified in a licence ceases to be correct, its holder shall forthwith surrender the licence to the Secretary of State and furnish to him particulars of the alterations falling to be made in the name or address and, in the case of a provisional licence as respects which the prescribed conditions are satisfied, with a statement of his sex and date of birth; and a person who fails to comply with the provisions of this subsection shall be guilty of an offence.

• (4) On the surrender of a licence by any person in pursuance of subsection (2) or (3) above, the Secretary of States—

• (a) shall, except where the licence was granted in error or is surrendered in pursuance of the said subsection (2) in consequence of an error or omission appearing to the Secretary of State to be attributable to that person's fault or in consequence of a current disqualification, and

• (b) may in such an excepted case which does not involve a current disqualification,

grant to that person free of charge a new licence for the period for which the surrendered licence was granted.

Appeals relating to licences

90

• (1) A person who is aggrieved by the Secretary of State's—

• (a) refusal to grant or revocation of a licence in pursuance of section 87 of this Act, or

• (b) grant of a licence for less than three years in pursuance of section 89(1)(a) of this Act, or

• (c) revocation of a licence in pursuance of section 89(2) of this Act,

or by a notice served on him in pursuance of section 87(4) of this Act may, after giving to the Secretary of State notice of his intention to do so appeal to a magistrates' court acting for the petty sessions area in which he resides or, if he resides in Scotland, to the sheriff within whose jurisdiction he resides ; and on any such appeal the court or sheriff may make such order as it or he thinks fit and the order shall be binding on the Secretary of State.

• (2) It is hereby declared that, without prejudice to section 85(3) of this Act, in any proceedings under this section the court or sheriff is not entitled to entertain any question as to whether the appellant passed a test of competence to drive if he was declared by the person who conducted it to have failed it.

Driving with uncorrected defective eyesight

91

• (1) If a person drives a motor vehicle on a road while his eyesight is such (whether through a defect which cannot be or one which is not for the time being sufficiently corrected) that he cannot comply with any requirement as to eyesight prescribed under this Part of this Act for the purposes of tests of competence to drive, he shall be guilty of an offence.

• (2) A constable having reason to suspect that a person driving a motor vehicle may be guilty of an offence under subsection (1) above may require him to submit to a test for the purpose of ascertaining whether, using no other means of correction than he used at the time of driving, he can comply with the said requirement as to eyesight; and if that person refuses to submit to the test he shall be guilty of an offence.

Notification of disease or disability

92

If, in any proceedings for an offence committed in respect of a motor vehicle, it appears to the court that the accused may be suffering from any disease or physical disability which would be likely to cause the driving by him of a motor vehicle to be a source of danger to the public, the court shall notify the Secretary of State.

Disqualification and endorsement of licences

Disqualification on conviction of certain offences

93

• (1) Where a person is convicted of an offence—

• (a) under a provision of this Act specified in column 1 of Part I of Schedule 4 to this Act in relation to which there appears in column 5 of that Part the word " obligatory " or the word " obligatory " qualified by conditions or circumstances relating to the offence ; and

• (b) where the said word " obligatory" is so qualified, the conditions or circumstances are satisfied or obtain in the case of the offence of which he is convicted;

or where a person is convicted of the offence specified in Part II of that Schedule (any such offence being in this Part of this Act referred to as an " offence involving obligatory disqualification ") the court shall order him to be disqualified for such period not less than twelve months as the court thinks fit unless the court for special reasons thinks fit to order him to be disqualified for a shorter period or not to order him to be disqualified.

• (2) Where a person is convicted of an offence—

• (a) under a provision of this Act specified in column 1 of Part I of Schedule 4 to this Act in relation to which there appears in column 5 of that Part the word " discretionary " or the word " discretionary " qualified by conditions or circumstances relating to the offence ; and

• (b) where the said word " discretionary " is so qualified, the conditions or circumstances are satisfied or obtain in the case of the offence of which he is convicted;

or where a person is convicted of an offence specified in Part III of that Schedule (any such offence being in this Part of this Act referred to as an " offence involving discretionary disqualification "), the court may order him to be disqualified for such period as the court thinks fit.

• (3) Where a person convicted of an offence involving obligatory or discretionary disqualification has within the three years immediately preceding the commission of the offence been convicted on not less than two occasions of any such offence and particulars of the convictions have been ordered to be endorsed in accordance with section 101 of this Act, the court shall order him to be disqualified for such period not less than six months as the court thinks fit, unless the court is satisfied, having regard to all the circumstances, that there are grounds for mitigating the normal consequences of the conviction and thinks fit to order him to be disqualified for a shorter period or not to order him to be disqualified.

• (4) Where a person convicted of an offence under any of the following provisions of this Act, namely section 5(1), 6(1) or 9(3) (where the latter is an offence involving obligatory disqualification), has within the ten years immediately preceding the commission of the offence been convicted of any such offence, subsection (1) above shall apply in relation to him with the substitution of three years for twelve months.

• (5) The period of any disqualification imposed under subsection (3) above shall be in addition to any other period of disqualification imposed (whether previously or on the same occasion) under this section or section 5 of the Road Traffic Act 1962 or under the Road Traffic Act 1960 or an enactment repealed by that Act or under the Motor Car Act 1903.

• (6) The foregoing provisions of this section shall apply in relation to a conviction of an offence committed by aiding, abetting, counselling or procuring, or inciting to the commission of an offence involving obligatory disqualification as if the offence were an offence involving discretionary disqualification.

• (7) Where a person is convicted of an offence involving obligatory or discretionary disqualification the court may, whether or not he has previously passed the test of competence to drive prescribed under this Act, and whether or not the court makes an order under the foregoing provisions of this section, order him to be disqualified until he has, since the date of the order, passed that test; and a disqualification by virtue of an order under this subsection shall be deemed to have expired on production to the Secretary of State of evidence, in such form as may be prescribed by regulations under section 107 of this Act, that the person disqualified has, since the order was made, passed that test.

Appeal against disqualification, and rule for determining end of period thereof

94

• (1) A person disqualified by an order of a magistrates' court under section 93(1) or (3) of this Act may appeal against the order in the same manner as against a conviction.

• (2) Any court in England or Wales (whether a magistrates' court or another) which makes an order disqualifying a person may, if it thinks fit, suspend the disqualification pending an appeal against the order.

• (3) A person disqualified by an order of a court in Scotland may appeal against the order in the same manner as against a conviction, and the court by or before which he was convicted may, if it thinks fit, pending the appeal suspend the disqualification.

• (4) In determining the expiration of the period for which a person is disqualified by an order of a court made in consequence of a conviction, any time after the conviction during which the disqualification was suspended or he was not disqualified shall be disregarded.

Removal of disqualification

95

• (1) Subject to the provisions of this section, a person who by an order of a court is disqualified may apply to the court by which the order was made to remove the disqualification, and on any such application the court may, as it thinks proper, having regard to the character of the person disqualified and his conduct subsequent to the order, the nature of the offence, and any other circumstances of the case, either by order remove the disqualification as from such date as may be specified in the order or refuse the application.

• (2) No application shall be made under subsection (1) above for the removal of a disqualification before the expiration of whichever is relevant of the following periods from the date of the order by which the disqualification was imposed, that is to say—

• (a) two years, if the disqualification is for less than four years,

• (b) one half of the period of the disqualification, if it is for less than ten years but not less than four years,

• (c) five years in any other case;

and in determining the expiration of the period after which under this subsection a person may apply for the removal of a disqualification, any time after the conviction during which the disqualification was suspended or he was not disqualified shall be disregarded.

• (3) Where an application under subsection (1) above is refused, a further application thereunder shall not be entertained if made within three months after the date of the refusal.

• (4) If under this section a court orders a disqualification to be removed, the court shall cause particulars of the order to be endorsed on the licence, if any, previously held by the applicant and the court shall in any case have power to order the applicant to pay the whole or any part of the costs of the application.

• (5) The foregoing provisions of this section shall not apply where the disqualification was imposed by order under section 93(7) of this Act, section 5(7) of the Road Traffic Act 1962 or section 104(3) of the Road Traffic Act 1960.

Disqualification of persons under age

96

A person who under section 4 of this Act is prohibited by reason of his age from driving a motor vehicle or a motor vehicle of any class is disqualified for holding or obtaining a licence other than a licence authorising him to drive such motor vehicles, if any, as he is not by the said section 4 forbidden to drive.

Disqualification to prevent duplication of licences

97

A person is disqualified for obtaining a licence authorising him to drive a motor vehicle of any class so long as he is the holder of another licence authorising him to drive a motor vehicle of that class, whether the licence is suspended or not.

Effect of disqualification

98

• (1) Where the holder of a licence is disqualified by an order of a court, the licence shall be suspended so long as the disqualification continues in force, and during the time of suspension shall be of no effect.

• (2) A licence obtained by any person who is disqualified shall be of no effect.

• (3) Notwithstanding anything in this Part of this Act, a person disqualified by order of a court under section 93(7) of this Act, section 5(7) of the Road Traffic Act 1962 or section 104(3) of the Road Traffic Act 1960 shall (unless he is disqualified otherwise than by virtue of such an order) be entitled to obtain and to hold a provisional licence and to drive a motor vehicle in accordance with the conditions subject to which the provisional licence is granted.

Offence of obtaining licence, or driving, while disqualified

99

If a person disqualified for holding or obtaining a licence—

• (a) obtains a licence while he is so disqualified, or

• (b) while he is so disqualified drives on a road a motor vehicle, or if the disqualification is limited to the driving of a motor vehicle of a particular class, a motor vehicle of that class,

he shall be guilty of an offence.

Arrest without warrant of persons driving while disqualified

100

A constable in uniform may arrest without warrant any person driving or attempting to drive a motor vehicle on a road whom he has reasonable cause to suspect of being disqualified.

Endorsement of licences

101

• (1) Subject to subsection (2) below, where a person is convicted of an offence—

• (a) under a provision of this Act specified in column 1 of Part I of Schedule 4 to this Act in relation to which there appears in column 6 of that Part the word " obligatory " or the word " obligatory " qualified by conditions relating to the offence; and

• (b) where the said word " obligatory " is so qualified, the conditions are satisfied in the case of the offence of which he is convicted ;

or where a person is convicted of an offence specified in Part II or Part III of that Schedule (any such offence being in this section referred to as an " offence involving obligatory endorsement "), the court shall order that particulars of the conviction, and, if the court orders him to be disqualified, particulars of the disqualification, shall be endorsed on any licence held by him; and particulars of any conviction or disqualification so endorsed may be produced as prima facie evidence of the conviction or disqualification.

• (2) If the court does not order the said person to be disqualified, the court need not order particulars of the conviction to be endorsed as aforesaid if for special reasons it thinks fit not to do so.

• (3) An order that the particulars of a conviction or of a disqualification to which the convicted person has become subject are to be endorsed on any licence held by him shall, whether he is at the time the holder of a licence or not, operate as an order that any licence he may then hold or may subsequently obtain shall be so endorsed until he becomes entitled under subsection (7) below to have a licence issued to him free from the particulars.

• (4) A person who is prosecuted for an offence involving obligatory endorsement and who is the holder of a licence, shall either—

• (a) cause it to be delivered to the clerk of the court not later than the day before the date appointed for the hearing, or

• (b) post it, at such a time that in the ordinary course of post it would be delivered not later than that day, in a letter duly addressed to the clerk and either registered or sent by the recorded delivery service, or

• (c) have it with him at the hearing;

and if he is convicted of the offence and the court makes an order under subsection (1) above the court shall require the licence to be produced to it for endorsement; and if the offender has not posted the licence or caused it to be delivered as aforesaid and does not produce it as required then, unless he satisfies the court that he has applied for a new licence and has not received it, he shall be guilty of an offence and the licence shall be suspended from the time when its production was required until it is produced to the court and shall, while suspended, be of no effect.

• (5) On the issue of a new licence to a person any particulars ordered to be endorsed on any licence held by him shall be entered on the licence unless he has become entitled under subsection (7) below to have a licence issued to him free from those particulars.

• (6) If a person whose licence has been ordered to be endorsed with any particulars and who has not previously become entitled under subsection (7) below to have a licence issued to him free from those particulars applies for or obtains a licence without giving particulars of the order, he shall be guilty of an offence and any licence so obtained shall be of no effect.

• (7) Where an order has been made in respect of a person under this section or any previous enactment requiring any licence held by him to be endorsed with any particulars, he shall be entitled, on applying for the grant of a licence in pursuance of section 88(1)(a) of this Act and satisfying the other requirements of that subsection, to have issued to him a new licence free from the particulars, if the application is made not less than three years after the date of the conviction in consequence of which the order was made or, if it was a conviction of an offence under any of the following provisions of this Act, namely section 5(1), 6(1) or 9(3) (where the latter was an offence involving obligatory disqualification), not less than ten years after that conviction.

Combination of disqualification and endorsement with probation orders and orders for discharge in England or Wales

102

• (1) Notwithstanding anything in section 12(2) of the Criminal Justice Act 1948 (conviction of an offender placed on probation or discharged to be disregarded for the purposes of enactments relating to disqualification), a court in England or Wales which on convicting a person of an offence involving obligatory or discretionary disqualification makes a probation order or an order discharging him absolutely or conditionally may on that occasion also exercise any power conferred, and shall also discharge any duty imposed, on the court by section 93 or 101 of this Act.

• (2) A conviction in respect of which a court in England or Wales has ordered a person to be disqualified or of which particulars have been endorsed on any licence held by him shall, notwithstanding anything in section 12(1) of the said Act of 1948 (conviction of offender placed on probation or discharged to be disregarded for the purpose of subsequent proceedings), be taken into account in determining his liability to punishment or disqualification for any offence involving obligatory or discretionary disqualification committed subsequently.

Interim disqualification on committal in England or Wales under s.56 of Criminal Justice Act 1967, etc.

103

• (1) Where under section 56(1) of the Criminal Justice Act 1967 or any enactment to which that section applies a magistrates' court commits an offender to the Crown Court and by reason of the provisions of the said section 56 the magistrates' court does not exercise its power or discharge its duty under section 93 of this Act of ordering the offender to be disqualified, it may nevertheless order him to be disqualified until the court to which he is committed has dealt with him in respect of the offence.

• (2) Where a court in England or Wales makes an order under subsection (1) above in respect of any person, it shall require him to produce to the court any licence, and any Northern Ireland licence, held by him and shall cause such licence to be sent to the clerk of the court to which he is committed ; and if he does not produce any such licence as required he shall be guilty of an offence.

• (3) Where a court in England or Wales makes any such order in respect of any person, sections 101(1), 105(2) to (4) and 111(2) of this Act shall not apply in relation to the order, but the court shall send notice of the order to the Secretary of State ; and the court to which he is committed shall, if it determines not to order him to be disqualified under section 93 of this Act, send notice of the determination to the Secretary of State.

• (4) Where a person is committed to the Crown Court under the said section 56 or any enactment to which that section applies to be dealt with in respect of an offence involving obligatory or discretionary disqualification and no order is made in his case under subsection (1) above, section 101(4) of this Act shall apply to him as it applies to a person who is prosecuted for such an offence and convicted before that court.

• (5) A period of disqualification imposed on any person by virtue of section 56(5) of the said Act of 1967 (exercise by the court to which a person is committed for sentence, etc., of certain powers of magistrates' courts) shall be treated as reduced by any period during which he was disqualified by reason only of an order made under subsection (1) above; but a period during which he was so disqualified shall not be taken into account under this subsection for the purpose of reducing more than one other period of disqualification.

• (6) A notice sent by a court to the Secretary of State in pursuance of subsection (3) above shall be sent in such manner and to such address and contain such particulars as the Secretary of State may determine.

• (7) In this section " Northern Ireland licence " means a licence under any such provision as is mentioned in section 111(1) of this Act.

Information as to date of birth and sex

104

• (1) If on convicting a person of an offence involving obligatory or discretionary disqualification or of such other offence as may be prescribed, the court orders his driving licence to be endorsed or orders him to be disqualified under section 103(1) of this Act and does not know his date of birth, the court shall order him to state that date in writing.

• (2) It shall be the duty of a person giving a notification to the clerk of a court in pursuance of section 1(2) of the Magistrates' Courts Act 1957 (which relates to pleas of guilty in the absence of the accused) in respect of an offence mentioned in subsection (1) above to include in the notification a statement of the date of birth and the sex of the accused; and in a case where the foregoing provisions of this subsection are not complied with the court shall, if on convicting the accused it orders his driving licence to be endorsed or orders him to be disqualified under the said section 103(1) and does not know his date of birth or sex, order him to furnish that information in writing to the court.

• (3) Nothing in section 56(5) of the Criminal Justice Act 1967 (which provides that where a magistrates' court commits a person to another court under subsection (1) of that section, certain of its powers and duties are transferred to that other court) shall apply to any duty imposed upon a magistrates' court by the foregoing provisions of this section in consequence of an order for disqualification made under the said section 103(1).

• (4) A person who knowingly fails to comply with an order under subsection (1) or (2) above shall be guilty of an offence.

• (5) Where in accordance with this section a person has stated his date of birth to a court or in such a notification as aforesaid, the Secretary of State may serve on that person a notice in writing requiring him to furnish the Secretary of State—

• (a) with such evidence in that person's possession or obtainable by him as the Secretary of State may specify for the purpose of verifying that date ; and

• (b) if his name differs from his name at the time of his birth, with a statement in writing specifying his name at that time;

and a person who knowingly fails to comply with a notice under this subsection shall be guilty of an offence.

• (6) In the application of this section to Scotland—

• (a) for subsection (2) there shall be substituted the following subsection:

(2) Where, in pursuance of section 26(3) of the Summary Jurisdiction (Scotland) Act 1954 (pleas in absence of accused), a person gives written intimation of a plea of guilty in respect of an offence mentioned in subsection (1) above, he shall include in that written intimation a statement of the accused's date of birth and sex, and in a case where the foregoing provisions of this subsection are not complied with the court, if on convicting the accused it orders his licence to be endorsed and does not know his date of birth or sex, shall order him to furnish that information in writing to the court.

• (b) subsection (3) does not apply ;

• (c) in subsection (5) for the word " notification " there shall be substituted the words " written intimation ".

Supplementary provisions as to disqualifications and endorsements

105

• (1) In any case where a court exercises its power under section 93 or 101 of this Act not to order any disqualification or endorsement or to order disqualification for a shorter period than would otherwise be required, it shall state the grounds for doing so in open court and, if it is a magistrates' court or, in Scotland, a court of summary juridiction, shall cause them to be entered in the register (or, in Scotland, record) of its proceedings.

• (2) Where a court orders particulars to be endorsed on a licence held by a person, or where by an order of a court a person is disqualified, the court shall send notice of the order to the Secretary of State and, in a case where a person is so disqualified, shall also on the production of the licence for the purpose of endorsement retain the licence and forward it to the Secretary of State, who may dispose of it as he thinks fit; but where the disqualification expires or is removed before the expiration of the period for which the licence was granted and the person to whom it was granted makes to the Secretary of State during that period, in such form and containing such particulars supported by such evidence or further evidence as the Secretary of State may specify, a demand for the grant of a new licence for the period for which the licence aforesaid was granted, the Secretary of State shall comply with the demand.

• (3) Where on an appeal against any such order the appeal is allowed, the court by which the appeal is allowed shall send notice thereof to the Secretary of State.

• (4) Where a person is disqualified by order of a court under section 93(7) of this Act, section 5(7) of the Road Traffic Act 1962 or section 104(3) of the Road Traffic Act 1960, then on the issue to him of a licence, there shall be added to the endorsed particulars of the disqualification a statement that the person disqualified has, since the order was made, passed the prescribed test.

• (5) A notice sent by a court to the Secretary of State in pursuance of this section shall be sent in such manner and to such address and contain such particulars as the Secretary of State may determine, and a licence so sent in pursuance of this section shall be sent to such address as the Secretary of State may determine.

Supplementary

Conduct of proceedings in certain courts by or against the Secretary of State

106

• (1) Any proceedings by or against the Secretary of State in a magistrates' court or before the registrar of a county court under this Part of this Act may be conducted on behalf of the Secretary of State by a person authorised by him for the purposes of this subsection.

• (2) Any proceedings in any court in Scotland, other than the High Court of Justiciary or the Court of Session, against the Secretary of State under this Part of this Act may be conducted on behalf of the Secretary of State by any person authorised by him for the purposes of this subsection.

Regulations for purposes of Part III

107

• (1) The Secretary of State may make regulations for any purpose for which regulations may be made under this Part of this Act and for prescribing anything which may be prescribed under this Part of this Act, and otherwise for the purpose of carrying section 4 or this Part of this Act into effect, and in particular, but without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing provisions, may make regulations with respect to—

• (a) licences,

• (b) the making of any particulars with respect to any persons who are disqualified or whose licences are suspended or endorsed available for use by the police,

• (c) the preventing of a person holding more than one licence,

• (d) the facilitating of identification of holders of licences, and

• (e) the providing for the issue of a new licence in the place of a licence lost or defaced on payment of such fee as may be prescribed;

and different regulations may be made as respects different classes of vehicles or as respects the same class of vehicles in different circumstances.

• (2) Regulations made by the Secretary of State under this Part of this Act may—

• (a) make different provision for different circumstances ;

• (b) provide for exemptions from any provisions of the regulations; and

• (c) contain such incidental and supplemental provisions as the Secretary of State considers expedient for the purposes of the regulations;

and nothing in any other provision of section 4 or this Part of this Act shall be construed as prejudicing the generality of the foregoing provisions of this subsection.

• (3) Any fee prescribed under this Part of this Act shall be of an amount approved by the Treasury, and different fees may be prescribed for different circumstances.

Destination of fees for licences, etc., under Part III

108

• (1) All fees received by the Secretary of State for licences under this Part of this Act shall be paid into the Consolidated Fund.

• (2) Fees in respect of tests of competence to drive payable by virtue of regulations having effect by virtue of section 85(2) of this Act shall be paid to such person as may be prescribed by the regulations, and any such fees received by a person so prescribed (other than any as to which the regulations provide that they are to be paid to the person conducting the test and retained by him as remuneration) shall be paid into the Consolidated Fund.

Service of notices

109

A notice authorised to be served on any person by section 87, 89(2) or 104(5) of this Act may be served on him by delivering it to him or by leaving it at his proper address or by sending it to him by post; and for the purposes of this section and section 26 of the Interpretation Act 1889 in its application to this section the proper address of any person shall be his latest address as known to the person serving the notice.

Interpretation of Part III

110

In this Part of this Act and section 4 thereof, except where the context otherwise requires, the following expressions have the meanings hereby assigned to them respectively, that is to say,—

• " disqualified " means disqualified for holding or obtaining a licence, and " disqualification " shall be construed accordingly;

• " licence " means a licence to drive a motor vehicle granted under this Part of this Act;

• " offence involving obligatory disqualification" has the meaning given to it by section 93(1) of this Act;

• " offence involving discretionary disqualification " has the meaning given to it by section 93(2) of this Act; " prescribed " means prescribed by regulations ;

• " provisional licence " means a licence granted by virtue of section 88(2) of this Act;

• " regulations " means regulations made under section 107 of this Act;

• " test of competence to drive " means such a test conducted under section 85 of this Act;

Provisions as to Northern Ireland drivers' licences

111

• (1) If the Secretary of State certifies that satisfactory provision is made by the law of Northern Ireland for the granting of licences to drive motor vehicles, it shall be lawful for the holder of such a licence to drive and be employed in driving in Great Britain a motor vehicle of any class which he is authorised by that licence to drive, and which he is not disqualified from driving under this Part of this Act, notwithstanding that he is not the holder of a licence under this Part of this Act:

Provided that any such driver shall be under the like obligation to produce such a licence as if it had been a licence granted under this Part of this Act, and the provisions of this Act as to the production of licences granted thereunder shall apply accordingly.

• (2) The holder of any such licence who by an order of the court is disqualified for holding or obtaining a licence under this Part of this Act shall produce the licence so held by him to the court within such time as the court may determine, and the court shall, on production of the licence, forward it to the Secretary of State; and if the holder fails to produce the licence within such time as aforesaid, he shall be guilty of an offence.

• (3) If the holder of any such licence is convicted of an offence and the court orders particulars of the conviction to be endorsed in accordance with section 101 of this Act, the court shall send those particulars to the Secretary of State.

PART IV — Licensing of drivers of heavy goods vehicles

Drivers of heavy goods vehicles to be licensed

112

• (1) It shall be an offence for a person to drive a heavy goods vehicle of any class on a road if he is not licensed under this Part of this Act to drive a heavy goods vehicle of that class.

• (2) It shall be an offence for a person to employ another person to drive a heavy goods vehicle of any class on a road if that other person is not so licensed to drive a heavy goods vehicle of that class.

• (3) Nothing in subsection (1) or (2) above, as the case may be, shall prevent a person who is not licensed as therein mentioned from acting, or being employed to act, as steersman of a heavy goods vehicle (being a vehicle on which a speed limit of five miles per hour or less is imposed by or under section 78 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1967) under the orders of another person engaged in the driving of the vehicle who is licensed in that behalf in accordance with the requirements of Part III of this Act and this section.

• (4) Neither subsection (1) nor subsection (2) above shall apply to the driving of, or the employment of a person to drive, a vehicle in any case where the excise duty in respect of the vehicle under the Vehicles (Excise) Act 1971 is chargeable at the rate applicable to vehicles specified in paragraph 2(1) of Schedule 3 to that Act and the vehicle is being driven for one of the purposes for which it must be solely used if the duty-is to remain chargeable at that rate.

Licensing authority, and applications, for heavy goods vehicle driver's licences

113

• (1) The person who is the chairman of the traffic commissioners for any area constituted for the purposes of Part III of the Road Traffic Act 1960, including any person for the time being appointed by the Secretary of State to act as deputy to the chairman, shall have the power and be charged with the duty of granting licences (in this Part of this Act referred to as " heavy goods vehicle drivers' licences") under this Part of this Act and is in this Part of this Act referred to as " the licensing authority ".

• (2) An application for a heavy goods vehicle driver's licence shall be made to the licensing authority of the traffic area in which the applicant for the licence resides.

Grant of heavy goods vehicle drivers' licences

114

• (1) Subject to the transitional provisions contained in Schedule 5 to this Act, the licensing authority shall not grant a full licence to drive a heavy goods vehicle of any class unless he is satisfied that the applicant for the licence—

• (a) has at some time during the period of five years ending on the date of the coming into force of the licence passed the prescribed test of competence to drive vehicles of that class; or

• (b) has within that period held a full licence authorising the driving of vehicles of that class.

• (2) For the purpose of enabling an applicant to learn to drive a heavy goods vehicle with a view to passing the prescribed test of competence to drive, the licensing authority may issue to him a heavy goods vehicle driver's licence as a provisional licence.

• (3) A licence issued by virtue of subsection (2) above shall be subject to the prescribed conditions, and if the person to whom it is issued fails to comply with any of the conditions he shall be guilty of an offence.

Duration of heavy goods vehicle drivers' licences

115

• (1) Subject to subsection (2) below, a heavy goods vehicle driver's licence shall, unless previously revoked, continue in force for three years from the date on which it is expressed to take effect, but may at any time be suspended or revoked by the licensing authority of the area in which it was granted on the ground that, by reason of his conduct (including conduct in Northern Ireland) as a driver of a motor vehicle or of physical disability, the holder is not a fit person to hold such a licence; and during any time of suspension such a licence shall be of no effect.

• (2) Subject to subsection (3) below, a licence issued by virtue of section 114(2) of this Act shall, unless previously revoked, continue in force for six months from the date on which it is expressed to take effect.

• (3) Subsection (2) above shall not apply to a licence treated as a provisional licence by virtue of section 119(1)(e) of this Act.

Disqualification on revocation of heavy goods vehicle driver's licence

116

• (1) Where in pursuance of section 115(1) of this Act the licensing authority revokes a heavy goods vehicle driver's licence, the authority may—

• (a) order the holder to be disqualified indefinitely or for such period as the authority thinks fit for holding or obtaining such a licence; or

• (b) if the licence is a full licence and it appears to the authority that, owing to the conduct or physical disability of the holder of the licence, it is expedient to require him to comply with the prescribed conditions applicable to provisional licences under this Part of this Act until he passes the prescribed test of competence to drive heavy goods vehicles of any class, order him to be disqualified for holding or obtaining a full licence until he has, since the date of the order, passed such a test.

• (2) Where the holder of a heavy goods vehicle driver's licence is disqualified under subsection (1)(a) above, the licensing authority for the traffic area where he resides may, in such circumstances as may be prescribed, remove the disqualification, but so long as the disqualification continues in force a heavy goods vehicle driver's licence shall not be granted to him and any such licence obtained by him shall be of no effect.

• (3) Where the holder of a full licence is disqualified under subsection (1)(b) above, a licensing authority shall not thereafter grant him a full licence to drive a heavy goods vehicle of any class unless satisfied that he has since the disqualification passed the prescribed test of competence to drive vehicles of that class, and until he passes that test any full licence obtained by him shall be of no effect.

Court may determine whether test of competence to drive was properly conducted

117

A magistrates' court acting for the petty sessions area in which a person who has submitted himself for a test of competence to drive resides, or if he resides in Scotland the sheriff within whose jurisdiction he resides, may on the application of that person determine whether the test was properly conducted in accordance with the regulations and, if it appears to the court or sheriff that the test was not so conducted, the court or sheriff may order that the applicant shall be eligible to submit himself to another test before the expiration of the period prescribed for the purposes of section 119(1)(j) of this Act, and may order that any fee payable by the applicant in respect of the test shall not be paid or, if it has been paid, shall be repaid.

Appeals relating to heavy goods-vehicle drivers' licences

118

• (1) A person who, being the holder of, or an applicant for, a heavy goods vehicle driver's licence feels aggrieved by the licensing authority's—

• (a) refusal or failure to grant such a licence, or

• (b) imposition of any limitation on such a licence, or

• (c) suspension or revocation of such a licence, or

• (d) ordering of disqualification under section 116(1) of this Act,

may by notice in writing to the licensing authority require him to reconsider the matter, and shall on a reconsideration be entitled to be heard either personally or by his representative.

• (2) Subject to subsection (3) below, a person who is so aggrieved as aforesaid, or who is dissatisfied with the decision of the licensing authority on reconsideration of the matter, may appeal to a magistrates' court acting for the petty sessions area in which he resides or, if he resides in Scotland, to the sheriff within whose jurisdiction he resides; and on any such appeal the court or sheriff may make such order as it or he thinks fit and an order so made shall be binding on the licensing authority.

• (3) No appeal shall lie under this section in respect of any matter in respect of which an application may be made to a magistrates' court or a sheriff under section 117 of this Act.

• (4) Where the applicant for a heavy goods vehicle driver's licence, who is at the date of his application the holder of such a licence (other than one issued as a provisional licence), appeals under this section on the ground of refusal or failure to grant the licence, the existing licence shall continue in force until the appeal has been disposed of notwithstanding that it would otherwise have expired.

Regulations for purposes of Part IV

119

• (1) The Secretary of State may make regulations for the purpose of carrying the provisions of this Part of this Act into effect and, without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing, may—

• (a) make provision with respect to tests of competence to drive heavy goods vehicles and, in particular, the nature of such tests, the qualifications, selection, appointment and removal of the persons by whom they may be conducted, and evidence of the results of the tests;

• (b) require applicants for such tests or for heavy goods vehicle drivers' licences (whether full or provisional) to have such qualifications, experience and knowledge (including, in the case of applicants for licences, qualifications with respect to health and driving conduct) as may be prescribed;

• (c) require a person submitting himself for a test to produce for the purposes of the test a vehicle of the class in respect of which he is to be tested, loaded or unloaded according as may be prescribed, and, in the case of a loaded vehicle, impose requirements about its loading;

• (d) restrict the issue of provisional licences, in the case of prescribed classes of applicants or in prescribed circumstances, to such classes of vehicle as may be prescribed;

• (e) provide that a full licence to drive a heavy goods vehicle of a particular class shall also be treated for the purposes of this Part of this Act as a provisional licence to drive heavy goods vehicles of another prescribed class;

• (f) make provision for preventing a person holding more than one licence and for facilitating the identification of licence holders;

• (g) make provision with respect to applications for and the issue of heavy goods vehicle drivers' licences;

• (h) make provision with respect to the custody and production of any heavy goods vehicle driver's licence or any Northern Ireland licence within the meaning of section 125 of this Act or any licence under Part II of the Road Traffic Act (Northern Ireland) 1955 or Part I of the Road Traffic Act (Northern Ireland) 1970 to drive heavy goods vehicles of any description, and require the return to a prescribed licensing authority of any such licence which has expired or been suspended or revoked;

• (i) require the payment of a fee of a prescribed amount by a person who applies for a test and provide for the repayment of any such fee in the prescribed circumstances ;

• (j) provide that a person submitting himself for, but failing to pass, a test shall not be eligible to submit himself for another test before the expiration of a prescribed period, except under an order made by a court or sheriff under section 117 of this Act;

• (k) provide for the issue of a new licence in place of a licence lost or defaced on payment of the prescribed fee;

and different provision may be made by the regulations for different cases.

• (2) Regulations under this section may provide that a person who contravenes or fails to comply with any specified provision of the regulations shall be guilty of an offence.

• (3) The Secretary of State may by regulations provide that this Part of this Act shall not apply to heavy goods vehicles of such classes as may be prescribed either generally or in such circumstances as may be prescribed.

Fees and expenses

120

• (1) There shall be charged by licensing authorities in respect of the grant of heavy goods vehicle drivers' licences such fees as may be prescribed.

• (2) All fees received by licensing authorities in respect of the grant of such licences shall be paid into the Consolidated Fund in such manner as the Treasury may direct.

• (3) Any fees received by the Secretary of State in pursuance of regulations under this Part of this Act shall be paid into the Consolidated Fund.

• (4) Any expenses incurred by the Secretary of State under this Part of this Act shall be defrayed out of moneys provided by Parliament.

Common test of competence to drive for the purposes of Parts III and IV

121

The Secretary of State may by regulations provide that a person who passes a test of competence to drive heavy goods vehicles of any prescribed class for the purpose of obtaining a full licence shall, in such circumstances as may be prescribed, be treated as having passed a test of competence to drive prescribed under section 85(2) of this Act for any prescribed class of motor vehicle.

Transitional provisions as to certain heavy goods vehicle drivers' licences

122

The provisions of Schedule 5 to this Act shall have effect in connection with the coming into operation of section 112 of this Act.

Restriction on institution of proceedings for certain offences

123

Proceedings for an offence under section 112 or 114(3) of this Act shall not, in England or Wales, be instituted except by or on behalf of the Director of Public Prosecutions or by a person authorised in that behalf by the traffic commissioners, a chief officer of police or the council of a county, county borough or county district.

Interpretation of Part IV

124

In this Part of this Act and Schedule 5 thereto, unless the context otherwise requires, the following expressions have the meanings hereby assigned to them respectively, that is to say—

• " full licence " means a heavy goods vehicle driver's licence other than a provisional licence;

• " heavy goods vehicle " means a vehicle of any of the following classes which is constructed or adapted for hauling or carrying goods or burden of any description, that is to say, a heavy locomotive, a light locomotive, a motor tractor, a heavy motor car and a motor car so constructed that a trailer may by partial superimposition be attached thereto in such a manner as to cause a substantial part of the weight of the trailer to be borne thereby;

• " prescribed " means prescribed by regulations under section 119 of this Act;

• " traffic commissioners " has the same meaning as it has for the purposes of Part III of the Road Traffic Act 1960.

Provisions as to Northern Ireland heavy goods vehicle drivers' licences

125

• (1) If the Secretary of State certifies that satisfactory provision is made by the law of Northern Ireland for the issue of licences specifically to drive heavy goods vehicles, it shall be lawful for the holder of such a licence (hereafter in this section referred to as a Northern Ireland licence) to drive, and be employed in driving, on a road in Great Britain heavy goods vehicles of any class which he is authorised by that licence to drive, notwithstanding that he is not the holder of a heavy goods vehicle driver's licence.

• (2) While a certificate is in force under subsection (1) above, the licensing authority may, notwithstanding anything in section 114(1) of this Act, grant a full licence to drive a heavy goods vehicle of any class to an applicant resident in Great Britain if he is satisfied that the applicant has, within the period of five years ending on the date of the coming into force of the licence, held a Northern Ireland licence to drive any heavy goods vehicle of that class corresponding to a full licence and not being a licence granted under an enactment of the Parliament of Northern Ireland in consequence of a dispensation from passing a test of competence to drive by reason of the applicant's residence outside the United Kingdom.

• (3) A prescribed licensing authority may exercise as respects Great Britain the like power of suspending or revoking any Northern Ireland licence and of making an order under section 116(1) of this Act as is conferred in relation to a heavy goods vehicle driver's licence by section 115(1) thereof and the said section 116(1) on the licensing authority for the traffic area in which the last-named licence was granted, and the provisions of the said section 115(1) (except the provision relating to the duration of licences) and of the said section 116(1) shall have effect accordingly.

• (4) A holder of a Northern Ireland licence who is aggrieved by the suspension or revocation of the licence or the ordering of disqualification by virtue of subsection (3) above shall have the like right to require the reconsideration of the matter and the like right of appeal as are conferred by section 118 of this Act, except that the matter shall be reconsidered by the prescribed licensing authority, and—

• (a) an appeal brought by virtue of this subsection shall, if the appellant is not resident in Great Britain, he to a prescribed magistrates' court or a prescribed sheriff; and

• (b) the provisions of subsection (2) of the said section 118 shall have effect accordingly.

• (5) At any time when no certificate is in force under subsection (1) above a person resident in Northern Ireland who is temporarily in Great Britain and holds a driving licence issued in Northern Ireland under Part II of the Road Traffic Act (Northern Ireland) 1955 or Part I of the Road Traffic Act (Northern Ireland) 1970 to drive heavy goods vehicles of any description may during a period of twelve months from the date of his last entry into Great Britain drive, and be employed in driving, on a road in Great Britain a heavy goods vehicle of that description brought temporarily into Great Britain notwithstanding that he is not the holder of a heavy goods vehicle driver's licence.

PART V — Driving Instruction

Driving instruction for payment to be given only by registered or licensed persons

126

• (1) No instruction, for the giving of which payment of money or money's worth is, or is to be, made by, or in respect of, the person to whom the instruction is given, shall be given in the driving of a motor car unless the name of the person giving the instruction is in the register of approved instructors established in pursuance of section 23 of the Road Traffic Act 1962 (hereafter in this Part of this Act referred to as " the register ") or he is the holder of a current licence granted under this Part of this Act authorising him to give such instruction.

• (2) Instruction in the driving of a motor car, being instruction which is given free of charge, to a person who is not the holder of a current licence to drive a motor vehicle granted under Part III of this Act (other than a provisional licence within the meaning of that Part), by, or in pursuance of arrangements made by, a person carrying on business in the supply of motor cars, and in connection with the supply of a motor car in the course of that business, shall, for the purposes of subsection (1) above, be deemed to be given for payment of money by the person to whom the instruction is given.

• (3) If instruction is given in contravention of subsection (1) above, the person by whom it is given, and, if that person is employed by another to give that instruction, that other, as well as that person, shall be guilty of an offence.

• (4) In proceedings against a person for an offence under subsection (3) above it shall be a defence for him to prove that he did not know, and had no reasonable cause to believe, that his name or, as the case may be, that of the person employed by him, was not in the register at the material time.

• (5) Any reference in this Part of this Act to a current licence is a reference to a licence which has not expired and has not been cancelled, revoked or suspended.

Exemption of police instructors from prohibition imposed by s.126

127

• (1) Section 126(1) of this Act shall not apply to the giving of instruction by a police instructor in pursuance of arrangements made by a chief officer of police or, under the authority of a chief officer of police, in pursuance of arrangements made by a local authority.

• (2) In this section—

• " police instructor " means a person who is— a member of a police force whose duties consist of or include, or have consisted of or included, the giving of instruction in the driving of motor cars to persons being members of a police force, or a civilian employed by a police authority for the purpose of giving such instruction to such persons;

• " local authority " means the council of a county, county borough or county district, the Greater London Council, the council of a London borough or the Common Council of the City of London.

• (3) In the application of subsection (2) above to the metropolitan police, for the reference to a civilian employed by a police authority, there shall be substituted a reference to a civilian employed under the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis or the Receiver for the Metropolitan Police District.

• (4) In the application of this section to Scotland " local authority " means a county council or the town council of a burgh.

The register and registration and duration thereof

128

• (1) The compilation and maintenance of the register shall continue by virtue of this Act, and an application for the entry of a person's name in the register shall be made, in manner determined by the Secretary of State, accompanied by particulars so determined, to the officer of the Secretary of State by whom, on behalf of the Secretary of State, the register is compiled and maintained (hereafter in this Part of this Act referred to as " the Registrar "); and the Registrar shall, on payment of such fee, if any, as may be prescribed by regulations, enter in the register the name of a person who duly applies for the entry of his name therein if that person satisfies the Registrar that the following conditions are fulfilled in his case, that is to say,—

• (a) that he has passed such examination of ability to give instruction in the driving of motor cars as may be so prescribed;

• (b) that he is the holder of a current licence of one of the following kinds, that is to say,—

• (i) a licence to drive a motor vehicle granted under Part III of this Act (not being a provisional licence within the meaning of that Part); and

• (ii) a licence to drive a motor vehicle (not being a licence corresponding to such a provisional licence as aforesaid) granted under the law in force in Northern Ireland;

and, at no time during the period of four years ending with the day on which the application is made, did he not hold one or other of the following licences, namely a current licence of one of the kinds aforesaid and a current foreign licence, that is to say, a document issued under the law of a country outside the United Kingdom authorising the holder to drive a motor vehicle in that country;

• (c) that he has not, during any part of the said period, been disqualified under section 93 of this Act or section 5 of the Road Traffic Act 1962 for holding or obtaining a licence to drive a motor vehicle granted under Part III of this Act or, as the case may be, Part II of the Road Traffic Act 1960; and

• (d) that, apart from fulfilment of the foregoing conditions, he is a fit and proper person to have his name entered in the register.

• (2) The entry of a person's name in the register shall be subject to the condition that, so long as the name is therein, that person will, if at any time required by the Registrar, undergo the test prescribed by regulations of continued ability and fitness to give instruction in the driving of motor cars.

• (3) Regulations may provide that persons of such class as may be specified therein shall be exempt from the condition mentioned in subsection (1)(a) above as regards such part of the examination mentioned in that paragraph as may be so specified.

• (4) If the Secretary of State is satisfied that satisfactory provision is made by the law of Northern Ireland for the establishment of a register containing the names of persons qualified under that law to give instruction in the driving of motor cars, a person who satisfies the Registrar that his name is in the register established under that law and that he is resident in Great Britain shall be exempt from the condition specified in subsection (1)(a) above.

• (5) The Registrar shall, on making a decision on an application under subsection (1) above, give notice in writing of the decision to the applicant which, in the case of a decision to refuse the application, shall state the grounds for the refusal.

• (6) Unless previously removed under the following provisions of this Part of this Act, the name of a person shall be removed from the register at the end of the period of four years beginning with the first day of the month next after that in which the entry of the name was made, but if an application for the retention of the name in the register is made under section 129 of this Act before the end of that period, the name shall not be removed except in pursuance of a decision of the Registrar having effect under that section.

• (7) A person whose name has been removed from the register under subsection (6) above who applies under subsection (1) above for his name to be entered again in the register, shall be required again to pass the examination mentioned in subsection (1)(a) above unless the application is made before the end of the period of one year beginning with the end of the said period of four years.

Extension of duration of registration

129

• (1) If, before the end of the period of four years at the end of which the name of a person is, by section 128(6) of this Act, to be removed from the register, he makes application to the Registrar, in manner determined by the Secretary of State, accompanied by particulars so determined, for the retention of his name in the register for a further period of four years, he shall be entitled, on payment of such fee, if any, as may be prescribed by regulations, to have his name retained therein for that further period, if he satisfies the Registrar that the following conditions are fulfilled in his case, that is to say,—

• (a) that he has not refused to undergo any such test as is mentioned in section 128(2) of this Act which he has been required to undergo during the period first mentioned in this subsection;

• (b) that his ability and fitness to give instruction in the driving of motor cars continue, having regard to any such test or tests as aforesaid which he has undergone during the said period, to be of a satisfactory standard ;

• (c) that he is the holder of a current licence of one of the kinds mentioned in sub-paragraph (i) and sub-paragraph (ii) of section 128(1)(b) of this Act, and at no time during the said period has he held no such current licence;

• (d) that he has not during any part of the said period been disqualified under section 93 of this Act or section 5 of the Road Traffic Act 1962 for holding or obtaining a licence to drive a motor vehicle granted under Part III of this Act or, as the case may be, Part II of the Road Traffic Act 1960, and

• (e) that, apart from fulfilment of the foregoing conditions, he continues to be a fit and proper person to have his name entered in the register.

• (2) The retention of a person's name under this section shall be subject to the condition mentioned in section 128(2) of this Act.

• (3) Before refusing an application under subsection (1) above, the Registrar shall give to the applicant written notice stating that he is considering the refusal of the application and giving particulars of the grounds on which he is considering it; and the applicant may, within the period of twenty-eight days beginning with the day on which the notice is given, make representations with respect to the proposed refusal; and the Registrar shall not decide to refuse the application until after the expiration of the said period, and before deciding whether or not to do so, he shall take into consideration any such representations made by the applicant within the said period.

• (4) The Registrar, on making a decision under subsection (3) above, shall give notice in writing of the decision to the person concerned, and a decision to refuse an application shall take effect—

• (a) where no appeal under the following provisions of this Part of this Act is brought against the decision within the time limited for the appeal, on the expiration of that time;

• (b) where such an appeal is brought and is withdrawn or struck out for want of prosecution, on the withdrawal or striking out of the appeal;

• (c) where such an appeal is brought and not withdrawn or struck out as aforesaid, if and when the appeal is dismissed, and not otherwise.

• (5) Where a person's name is retained in the register under subsection (1) above, that subsection and section 128(6) of this Act shall have effect in relation to him, with respect to each successive period of four years, as if any reference therein to the first day of the month next after that in which the entry of a person's name in the register was made were a reference to the day with which began the last further period for which his name was retained under subsection (1) above.

Removal of names from register

130

• (1) The Registrar may remove the name of a person from the register if the Registrar is satisfied, in a case where the name has not been retained therein under section 129 of this Act, that, at any time since the entry of the name was made, or, in a case where the name has been retained as aforesaid, that, at any time since it was last retained, any of the following conditions was fulfilled in the case of that person, that is to say—

• (a) that he held neither a current licence of a kind mentioned in sub-paragraph (i) of section 128(1)(b) of this Act nor one of a kind mentioned in sub-paragraph (ii) of the said section 128(1)(b);

• (b) that he was disqualified under section 93 of this Act or section 5 of the Road Traffic Act 1962 for holding or obtaining a licence to drive a motor vehicle under Part III of this Act or, as the case may be. Part II of the Road Traffic Act 1960;

• (c) that he refused to undergo a test such as is mentioned in section 128(2) of this Act;

• (d) that he failed to pass such a test;

• (e) that he ceased, apart from fulfilment of any of the foregoing conditions, to be a fit and proper person to have his name included in the register;

or if the entry of his name in the register, or the retention of his name therein, was made by mistake or procured by fraud.

• (2) Before removing the name of a person from the register under this section, the Registrar shall give to the person concerned written notice stating that he is considering the removal and giving particulars of the grounds on which he is considering it; and that person may, within the period of twenty-eight days beginning with the day on which the notice is given, make representations with respect to the proposed removal; and the Registrar shall not decide to remove the name from the register until after the expiration of the said period and, before deciding whether or not to do so, shall take into consideration any such representations made by the person concerned within the said period.

• (3) The Registrar shall, on making a decision to remove a name from the register, give notice in writing of the decision to the person concerned, and section 129(4) of this Act shall apply for the purpose of determining when (if at all) the decision takes effect as it does for the purpose of determining when (if at all) a decision to refuse an application under the said section 129 takes effect.

Licences

131

• (1) For the purpose of enabling a person to acquire practical experience in giving instruction in driving motor cars with a view to undergoing the examination referred to in section 128(1)(a) of this Act, the Registrar shall, subject to subsection (2) below, on application made to him by that person in manner determined by the Secretary of State, accompanied by particulars so determined and on payment of such fee, if any, as may be prescribed by regulations, grant to the applicant a licence to give instruction in the driving of a motor car, being instruction the giving of which is restricted by section 126 of this Act, if the Registrar is satisfied that the conditions set out in paragraphs (b), (c) and (d) of the said section 128(1) are fulfilled in the case of the applicant.

• (2) The Registrar may refuse to grant a licence under this section to an applicant to whom two or more such licences have previously been issued.

• (3) The Registrar shall, on making a decision on an application under subsection (1) above, give notice in writing of the decision to the applicant, which, in the case of a decision to refuse the application, shall state the grounds of the refusal.

• (4) A licence under this section shall be in such form, in force for such period, and granted subject to such conditions, as may be prescribed by regulations.

• (5) Notwithstanding any provision of regulations made under subsection (4) above prescribing the period for which a licence is to be in force, where a person applies for a new licence in substitution for a licence held by him and current at the date of the application, the previous licence shall not expire until the commencement of the new licence, or, if the Registrar decides to refuse the application, until the time limited for an appeal under the following provisions of this Part of this Act against the decision has expired and, if such an appeal is duly brought, it is finally disposed of.

• (6) Before deciding to refuse an application for a new licence in substitution for a licence current at the date of the application, the Registrar shall give to the applicant written notice stating that he is considering the refusal and giving particulars of the grounds on which he is considering it; and the applicant may, within the period of fourteen days beginning with the day on which the notice is given, make representations with respect to the proposed refusal; and the Registrar shall not decide to refuse the application until after the expiration of the said period and, before deciding whether or not to do so, he shall take into consideration any such representations made within that period.

• (7) If a person to whom a licence under this section is granted fails to comply with any of the conditions subject to which it is granted, or if the Registrar is satisfied that, at any time since the licence was granted, any of the following conditions was fulfilled in the case of the said person, that is to say,—

• (a) that he held neither a current licence of a kind mentioned in sub-paragraph (i) of section 128(1)(b) of this Act nor one of a kind mentioned in sub-paragraph (ii) of the said section 128(1)(b); or

• (b) that he was disqualified under section 93 of this Act or section 5 of the Road Traffic Act 1962 for holding or obtaining a licence to drive a motor vehicle under Part III of this Act or, as the case may be, Part II of the Road Traffic Act 1960; or

• (c) that he ceased, apart from fulfilment of either of the foregoing conditions, to be a fit and proper person to have his name in the register;

or if the licence was granted by mistake or procured by fraud, the Registrar may revoke the licence, but before doing so he shall give to the said person written notice stating that he is considering the revocation and giving particulars of the grounds on which he is considering it; and that person may, within the period of fourteen days beginning with the day on which the notice is given, make representations with respect to the proposed revocation; and the Registrar shall not decide to revoke the licence until after the expiration of the said period and, before deciding whether or not to do so, he shall take into consideration any such representations made within that period.

• (8) The Registrar shall, on making a decision to revoke a licence granted under this section, give notice in writing of the decision to the person concerned, and section 129(4) of this Act shall apply for the purpose of determining when (if at all) the decision takes effect as it does for the purpose of determining when (if at all) a decision to refuse an application under the said section 129(1) takes effect.

Appeals

132

• (1) A person who is aggrieved by a decision of the Registrar—

• (a) to refuse an application for the entry of his name in the register, or

• (b) to refuse an application for the retention of his name in the register, or

• (c) to remove his name from the register,

may by notice in writing appeal to the Secretary of State within the period of twenty-eight days beginning with the day on which notice of the decision was given in accordance with the provisions of this Part of this Act, and a person who is aggrieved by a decision of the Registrar to refuse an application for the grant of a licence under the said Part or to revoke such a licence may, in such manner, so appeal within the period of fourteen days beginning with the said day.

• (2) On the appeal the Secretary of State shall have power to make such order for the grant or refusal of the application or, as the case may be, for the removal or the retention of the name in the register, or the revocation or continuation of the licence, as he may think fit; and an order for such refusal, removal or revocation may direct that an application by the appellant for the grant of a licence under this Part of this Act or for his name to be entered in the register shall not be entertained before the expiration of such period, not exceeding four years beginning with the day on which the order is made, as may be specified in the order.

• (3) Schedule 6 to this Act shall have effect in relation to an appeal under this section.

Examinations and tests of ability to give driving instruction

133

• (1) Regulations may make provision with respect to the nature of examinations of the ability of persons to give instruction in the driving of motor cars and tests of continued ability and fitness to give such instruction, to evidence of the results thereof and generally with respect thereto, and, in particular, but without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing, may provide—

• (a) for such an examination to consist in part of a written examination and in part of a practical test of ability and fitness to drive and to instruct;

• (b) for requiring a person submitting himself to any such practical test as aforesaid to provide a vehicle for the purposes of the test, being a vehicle in respect of which such conditions as may be specified in regulations are complied with;

• (c) for requiring a person applying to submit himself for such an examination, or any part of such an examination, to pay to the Registrar such fee as may be specified in the regulations in relation to that examination or part;

• (d) for preventing a person who, on any day, submits him self for such an examination and fails to pass it from being eligible to submit himself to another such examination before the expiration of the period of three months beginning with that day, or, if the regulations provide for an examination to consist of two such parts as are mentioned in paragraph (a) above, preventing a person who submits himself on any day for one of those parts, and fails to pass that part, from being eligible to submit himself again for that part before the expiration of the period of three months beginning with that day;

• (e) for requiring a person who desires to submit himself for such an examination to supply the Registrar with such particulars as the Secretary of State may determine.

• (2) A magistrates' court acting for the petty sessions area in which a person who has submitted himself for an examination of ability to give instruction in the driving of motor cars resides or, if he resides in Scotland, the sheriff within whose jurisdiction he resides, shall have power on the application of that person to determine whether the examination was properly conducted in accordance with the regulations, and, if the regulations provide for the examination to consist of two parts, whether either of those parts was so conducted; and, if it appears to the court or sheriff that the examination, or, as the case may be, part, was not so conducted, the court or sheriff may order that the applicant shall be eligible to submit himself to another examination, or, as the case may be, to submit himself again for that part, before the expiration of the period of three months mentioned in subsection (1)(d) above in relation to the examination or, as the case may be, part, and may order that any fee payable by the applicant in respect of the examination or part shall not be paid, and if it has been paid, shall be repaid.

• (3) No appeal shall lie under section 132 of this Act in respect of any matter in respect of which an application may be made to a magistrates' court or a sheriff under subsection (2) above.

Power to alter conditions for entry or retention in, and removal from, register and grant or revocation of licences

134

Regulations may—

• (a) alter or add to the conditions as to which the Registrar is required by this Part of this Act to be satisfied for the entry of a name in the register, the retention of a name therein, the removal of a name therefrom, the grant of a licence and the revocation of a licence, or omit any of those conditions;

• (b) alter the period at the expiration of which a person's name which is entered or retained in the register after the coming into force of the regulation must, unless retained or further retained, be removed therefrom.

Power to prescribe form of certificate of registration, etc.

135

• (1) Regulations may prescribe all or any of the following, that is to say, a form of certificate for issue to persons whose names are in the register as evidence of their names' being therein, a form of badge for use by such persons and an official title for such use.

• (2) If a person—

• (a) whose name is not in the register, takes or uses a title prescribed under this section, or wears or displays a badge or certificate so prescribed, or takes or uses any name, title, addition or description implying that his name is in the register, or

• (b) being a person carrying on business in the provision of instruction in the driving of motor vehicles, uses a title or description so prescribed in relation to any person employed by him whose name is not in the register, or issues any advertisement or invitation calculated to mislead with respect to the extent to which persons whose names are in the register are employed by him,

then, unless he proves that he did not know, and had no reasonable cause to believe, that his name, or, as the case may be, that of the person employed by him, was not in the register at the material time, he shall be guilty of an offence.

Surrender of certificate and licences

136

Where—

• (a) the name of a person to whom a certificate prescribed under section 135 of this Act has been issued is removed from the register in pursuance of this Part of this Act, or

• (b) a licence granted under this Part of this Act to a person expires or is revoked,

that person shall, if so required by the Registrar by notice in writing, surrender the certificate or licence, as the case may be, to the Registrar within the period of fourteen days beginning with that on which the notice is given, and if he fails to do so, he shall be guilty of an offence.

Production of certificate and licences to constables and authorised persons

137

• (1) A person to whom a certificate prescribed under section 135 of this Act is issued, or to whom a licence under this Part of this Act is granted, shall, on being so required by a constable or any person authorised in writing by the Secretary of State in that behalf, produce the certificate or licence for examination.

• (2) Where the name of a person is removed from the register or a licence granted under this Part of this Act to a person expires or is revoked, then, if that person fails to satisfy an obligation imposed on him by section 136 of this Act, a constable or a person authorised as aforesaid may require him to produce any such certificate issued to him or the licence, and upon its being produced may seize it and deliver it to the Registrar.

• (3) If a person who is required under subsection (1) or (2) above to produce a document fails to do so, then, unless within five days, beginning with the day next after that on which the production of the document was so required, it is produced—

• (a) where the requirement was made by a constable, at such police station as, at the time the production was required, may have been specified by the person required to produce the document,

• (b) where the requirement was made by a person other than a constable, at such place as the person by whom the requirement was made may, at the time aforesaid, have specified,

he shall be guilty of an offence.

Evidence by certificate as to registration and licences

138

• (1) A certificate signed by the Registrar and stating that, on any date,—

• (a) a person's name was, or was not, in the register,

• (b) the entry of a person's name was made in the register or a person's name was removed therefrom,

• (c) a person was, or was not, the holder of a current licence under section 131 of this Act, or

• (d) a licence under the said section 131 granted to a person came into force or ceased to be in force,

shall be evidence, and in Scotland sufficient evidence, of the facts stated in the certificate in pursuance of this section.

• (2) A certificate stating as aforesaid and purporting to be signed by the Registrar shall be deemed to be so signed unless the contrary is proved.

Offences by corporations

139

Where a body corporate is guilty of an offence under this Part of this Act and the offence is proved to have been committed with the consent or connivance of, or to be attributable to neglect on the part of, a director, manager, secretary or other similar officer of the body corporate, or a person who was purporting to act in any such capacity, he, as well as the body corporate, shall be guilty of that offence and liable to be proceeded against and punished accordingly.

Service of notices

140

• (1) A notice authorised or required to be given by this Part of this Act to a person may be given by delivering it to him, or by leaving it at his proper address, or by sending it to him by post.

• (2) For the purposes of this section and of section 26 of the Interpretation Act 1889 in its application to this section, the proper address of a person shall be, in the case of a person whose name is included in the register, his address on the register, and in any other case, his usual or last known address.

Expenses and receipts

141

• (1) Any administrative expenses incurred by the Secretary of State in consequence of any provisions of this Part of this Act shall be defrayed out of moneys provided by Parliament.

• (2) Any sums received on account of fees payable by virtue of any provision of this Part of this Act shall be paid into the Consolidated Fund.

Regulations for purposes of Part V

142

The Secretary of State may make regulations for any purpose for which provision is by this Part of this Act authorised to be made by regulations, and in the said Part " regulations " means regulations made under this section.

PART VI — Third-Party Liabilities

Compulsory insurance or security against third-party risks

Users of motor vehicles to be insured or secured against third-party risks

143

• (1) Subject to the provisions of this Part of this Act, it shall not be lawful for a person to use, or to cause or permit any other person to use, a motor vehicle on a road unless there is in force in relation to the use of the vehicle by that person or that other person, as the case may be, such a policy of insurance or such a security in respect of third-party risks as complies with the requirements of this Part of this Act; and if a person acts in contravention of this section he shall be guilty of an offence.

• (2) A person charged with using a motor vehicle in contravention of this section shall not be convicted if he proves that the vehicle did not belong to him and was not in his possession under a contract of hiring or of loan, that he was using the vehicle in the course of his employment and that he neither knew nor had reason to believe that there was not in force in relation to the vehicle such a policy of insurance or security as is mentioned in subsection (1) above.

• (3) This Part of this Act shall not apply to invalid carriages.

Exceptions from requirement of third-party insurance or security

144

• (1) Section 143 of this Act shall not apply to a vehicle owned by a person who has deposited and keeps deposited with the Accountant General of the Supreme Court the sum of £15,000, at a time when the vehicle is being driven under the owner's control.

• (2) The said section 143 shall not apply—

• (a) to a vehicle owned by the council of a county, county borough or county district in England or Wales, the Common Council of the City of London, the council of a London borough, the Greater London Council, a county, town or district council in Scotland, or by a joint board or joint committee in England or Wales, or joint committee in Scotland, which is so constituted as to include among its members representatives of any such council, at a time when the vehicle is being driven under the owner's control;

• (b) to a vehicle owned by a police authority or the Receiver for the Metropolitan Police District, at a time when it is being driven under the owner's control, or to a vehicle at a time when it is being driven for police purposes by or under the direction of a constable, or by a person employed by a police authority, or employed by the said Receiver; or

• (c) to a vehicle at a time when it is being driven on a journey to or from any place undertaken for salvage purposes pursuant to Part IX of the Merchant Shipping Act 1894;

• (d) to the use of a vehicle for the purpose of its being furnished in pursuance of a direction under paragraph (b) of section 166(2) of the Army Act 1955 or under the corresponding provision of the Air Force Act 1955;

• (e) to a vehicle owned by the London Transport Executive or by a body which is within the meaning of the Transport (London) Act 1969 (but disregarding section 51(5) of the Transport Act 1968) a wholly-owned subsidiary of that Executive, at a time when the vehicle is being driven under the owner's control.

Requirements in respect of policies of insurance

145

• (1) In order to comply with the requirements of this Part of this Act, a policy of insurance must satisfy the following conditions.

• (2) The policy must be issued by an authorised insurer, that is to say, a person or body of persons carrying on motor vehicle insurance business in Great Britain.

• (3) Subject to subsection (4) below, the policy—

• (a) must insure such person, persons or classes of persons as may be specified in the policy in respect of any liability which may be incurred by him or them in respect of the death of or bodily injury to any person caused by, or arising out of, the use of the vehicle on a road; and

• (b) must also insure him or them in respect of any liability which may be incurred by him or them under the provisions of this Part of this Act relating to payment for emergency treatment.

• (4) The policy shall not, by virtue of subsection (3)(a) above, be required to cover—

• (a) liability in respect of the death, arising out of and in the course of his employment, of a person in the employment of a person insured by the policy or of bodily injury sustained by such a person arising out of and in the course of his employment; or

• (b) any contractual liability.

Requirements in respect of securities

146

• (1) In order to comply with the requirements of this Part of this Act, a security must satisfy the following conditions.

• (2) The security must be given either by an authorised insurer or by some body of persons which carries on in the United Kingdom the business of giving securities of a like kind and has deposited and keeps deposited with the Accountant General of the Supreme Court the sum of £15,000 in respect of that business.

• (3) The security must consist of an undertaking by the giver of the security to make good, subject to any conditions specified therein, and up to the amount—

• (a) in the case of an undertaking relating to the use of public service vehicles (within the meaning of Part III of the Road Traffic Act 1960), of not less than £25,000;

• (b) in any other case, of not less than £5,000,

any failure by the owner of the vehicle or such other persons or classes of persons as may be specified in the security duly to discharge any liability which may be incurred by him or them, being a liability required under section 145 of this Act to be covered by a policy of insurance.

Issue and surrender of certificates of insurance and of security

147

• (1) A policy of insurance shall be of no effect for the purposes of this Part of this Act unless and until there is delivered by the insurer to the person by whom the policy is effected a certificate (in this Part of this Act referred to as a " certificate of insurance ") in the prescribed form and containing such particulars of any conditions subject to which the policy is issued and of any other matters as may be prescribed.

• (2) A security shall be of no effect for the purposes of this Part of this Act unless and until there is delivered by the person giving the security to the person to whom it is given a certificate (in this Part of this Act referred to as a " certificate of security") in the prescribed form and containing such particulars of any conditions subject to which the security is issued and of any other matters as may be prescribed.

• (3) Different forms and different particulars may be prescribed for the purposes of subsection (1) or (2) above in relation to different cases or circumstances.

• (4) Where a certificate has been delivered under this section and the policy or security to which it relates is cancelled by mutual consent or by virtue of any provision in the policy or security, the person to whom the certificate was delivered shall, within seven days from the taking effect of the cancellation, surrender the certificate to the person by whom the policy was issued or the security was given or, if the certificate has been lost or destroyed, make a statutory declaration to that effect; and a person who fails to comply with this subsection shall be guilty of an offence.