Public Passenger Vehicles Act 1981

Changes over time for: Section 20

Alternative versions:

Changes to legislation:

Public Passenger Vehicles Act 1981, Section 20 is up to date with all changes known to be in force on or before 09 November 2024. There are changes that may be brought into force at a future date. Changes that have been made appear in the content and are referenced with annotations.

Changes to Legislation

Revised legislation carried on this site may not be fully up to date. Changes and effects are recorded by our editorial team in lists which can be found in the ‘Changes to Legislation’ area. Where those effects have yet to be applied to the text of the legislation by the editorial team they are also listed alongside the legislation in the affected provisions. Use the ‘more’ link to open the changes and effects relevant to the provision you are viewing.

View outstanding changes

Changes and effects yet to be applied to Section 20:

s. 20(1)(2) words substituted by 1982 c. 49 s. 10(9)(a)
s. 20(2A) extended by 1982 c. 49 s. 10(11)
s. 20(2A) inserted by 1982 c. 49 s. 10(9)(b)

Changes and effects yet to be applied to the whole Act associated Parts and Chapters:

Whole provisions yet to be inserted into this Act (including any effects on those provisions):

s. 51(1A)(1B) inserted by 1982 c. 49 s. 21(4)(b)

20 Duty to give traffic commissioners information about vehicles. E+W+S

(1)It shall be the duty of the holder of a PSV operator’s licence, on the happening to any public service vehicle owned by him of any failure or damage of a nature calculated to affect the safety of occupants of the public service vehicle or of persons using the road, to report the matter as soon as is practicable [F1to the [F2Secretary of State]] [F1in accordance with regulations made by virtue of subsection (2A) below].

(2)It shall be the duty of the holder of a PSV operator’s licence, on any alteration otherwise than by replacement of parts being made in the structure or fixed equipment of any public service vehicle owned by him, to give notice of the alteration as soon as is practicable [F1to the [F2Secretary of State]] [F1in accordance with regulations made by virtue of subsection (2A) below].

[F3(2A)Regulations may make provision—

(a)for any report or notice required under subsection (1) or (2) above to be made or given to the Secretary of State or to the prescribed testing authority;

(b)for requiring a public service vehicle to be submitted for examination in the event of any such failure or damage as is mentioned in subsection (1) above or any such alteration as is mentioned in subsection (2) above; and

(c)for the examinations to be carried out under the regulations and, in particular, for authorising any such examination to be carried out by or under the direction of a [F4an examiner appointed under section 66A of the Road Traffic Act 1988] or an authorised inspector.]

(3)[F5A traffic commissioner] may—

(a)require the holder of [F6a PSV operator’s licence to supply him or another traffic commissioner] forthwith or within a specified time with such information as [F7he] may reasonably require about the public service vehicles owned by [F8the holder] and normally kept at an operating centre within [F6the traffic area to which the licence relates], and to keep up to date information supplied by [F8the holder] under this paragraph; or

(b)require the holder or former holder of [F6a PSV operator’s licence to supply him or another traffic commissioner] forthwith or within a specified time with such information as [F7he] may reasonably require about the public service vehicles owned by [F8the holder or former holder] at any material time specified by [F7him] which were at that time normally kept at an operating centre within [F6the traffic area to which the licence relates].

In this subsection “material time” means a time when the PSV operator’s licence in question was in force.

(4)Subject to section 68(1) of this Act, a person who fails to comply with the provisions of subsection (1) or (2) above or with any requirement under subsection (3) above shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding [F9level 3 on the standard scale].

(5)A person who in purporting to comply with any requirement under subsection (3) above supplies any information which he knows to be false or does not believe to be true shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding [F10level 4 on the standard scale].

F11(6). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Textual Amendments

F1By Transport Act 1982 (c. 49, SIF 58, 107:1, 126), ss. 10(9)(a), 76(2) a (prosp.) substitution of the words “in accordance with regulations made by virtue of subsection (2A) below” is made in place of the original words “to the traffic commissioners who granted the licence”

F2Words substituted by Transport Act 1985 (c. 67, SIF 126), s. 29

F3S. 20(2A) inserted (prosp.) by Transport Act 1982 (c. 49, SIF 58, 107:1, 126), ss. 10(9)(b), 76(2)

F4Words in s. 20(2A) substituted (1.7.1992) by Road Traffic Act 1991 (c. 40, SIF 107:1), s. 48, Sch. 4 para. 19(4); S.I. 1992/1286, art. 2, Sch.

F5Words in s. 20(3) substituted (3.7.2013) by The Local Transport Act 2008 (Traffic Commissioners) (Consequential Amendments) Order 2013 (S.I. 2013/1644), art. 1(1), Sch. 1 (with arts. 1(3), 2, 7)

F6Words in s. 20(3)(a)(b) substituted (3.7.2013) by The Local Transport Act 2008 (Traffic Commissioners) (Consequential Amendments) Order 2013 (S.I. 2013/1644), art. 1(1), Sch. 1 (with arts. 1(3), 2, 7)

F7Word substituted as provided by Transport Act 1985 (c. 67, SIF 126), s. 3(5), Sch. 2 Pt. II para. 4(11)(a)

F8Words substituted as provided by Transport Act 1985 (c. 67, SIF 126), s. 3(5), Sch. 2 Pt. II para. 4(11)(a)

F9Words substituted by virtue of (E.W.) Criminal Justice Act 1982 (c. 48, SIF 39:1), s. 46 and (S.) Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1975 (c. 21, SIF 39:1), s. 289G

F10Words substituted by virtue of (E.W.) Criminal Justice Act 1982 (c. 48, SIF 39:1), s. 46 and (S.) Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1975 (c. 21, SIF 39:1), s. 289G

F11S. 20(6) repealed (1.7.1992) by Road Traffic Act 1991 (c. 40, SIF 170:1), s. 83, Sch.8; S.I. 1992/1286, art. 2, Sch., Appendix

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1S. 20 excluded by Transport Act 1985 (c. 67, SIF 126), s. 12(13)(a)