Road Traffic Offenders Act 1988

Introductory E+W+S

51 Fixed penalty offences. E+W+S

(1) Any offence in respect of a vehicle under an enactment specified in column 1 of Schedule 3 to this Act is a fixed penalty offence for the purposes of this Part of this Act, but subject to subsection (2) below and to any limitation or exception shown against the enactment in column 2 (where the general nature of the offence is also indicated).

(2) An offence under an enactment so specified is not a fixed penalty offence for those purposes if it is committed by causing or permitting a vehicle to be used by another person in contravention of any provision made or restriction or prohibition imposed by or under any enactment.

(3) The Secretary of State may by order provide for offences to become or (as the case may be) to cease to be fixed penalty offences for the purposes of this Part of this Act, and may make such modifications of the provisions of this Part of this Act as appear to him to be necessary forthe purpose.

52 Fixed penalty notices. E+W+S

(1) In this Part of this Act “fixed penalty notice” means a notice offering the opportunity of the discharge of any liability to conviction of the offence to which the notice relates by payment of a fixed penalty in accordance with this Part of this Act.

(2) A fixed penalty notice must give such particulars of the circumstances alleged to constitute the offence to which it relates as are necessary for giving reasonable information about the alleged offence.

(3) A fixed penalty notice must state—

(a) the period during which, by virtue of section 78(1) of this Act, proceedings cannot be brought against any person for the offence to which the notice relates, being the period of twenty-one days following the date of the notice or such longer period (if any) as may be specified in the notice (referred to in this Part of this Act as the “suspended enforcement period”),

(b) the amount of the fixed penalty, and

(c) the justices’ clerk or, in Scotland, the clerk of court to whom and the address at which the fixed penalty may be paid.

(4) A fixed penalty notice given under section 54(2) of this Act in respect of an offence committed in Scotland must be in the prescribed form.

[F1 53 Amount of fixed penalty. E+W+S

(1) The fixed penalty for an offence is—

(a) such amount as the Secretary of State may by order prescribe, or

(b) one half of the maximum amount of the fine to which a person committing that offence would be liable on summary conviction,

whichever is the less.

(2) Any order made under subsection (1)(a) may make different provision for different cases or classes of case or in respect of different areas.]

Textual Amendments

F1 S. 53 substituted (1.4.1992) by Road Traffic Act 1991 (c. 40, SIF 107:1), s. 48, Sch. 4 para.102; S.I. 1992/199, arts. 3(2)(b), 4; but see S.I.1992/435 for an expressed substitution (S.) (1.4.1992) of penalties in the previous form of s. 53