Automated Vehicles Act 2024

36 Monetary penalties

(1) The Secretary of State may issue a monetary penalty notice to a regulated body if satisfied that—

(a) a regulatory requirement is not, or has not been, met by the body, or

(b) the body has failed to comply with—

(i) an information notice,

(ii) an interview notice,

(iii) a compliance notice, or

(iv) a redress notice.

(2) The Secretary of State may issue a monetary penalty notice to an authorised self-driving entity if satisfied that an authorised automated vehicle has committed a traffic infraction while the entity was responsible for it.

(3) Subsection (2) does not apply if it appears to the Secretary of State that the commission of the traffic infraction was wholly caused by a failure of a licensed no-user-in-charge operator to comply with a requirement under operator licensing regulations.

(4) A monetary penalty notice is a notice requiring the regulated body to pay a monetary penalty, of a sum specified in the notice, to the Secretary of State.

(5) Subsection (6) applies in relation to a monetary penalty notice issued under subsection (1) if it appears to the Secretary of State that the failure to which the notice relates is or may be a continuing one.

(6) The monetary penalty notice may provide for a sum specified in the notice to be added to the penalty for each day in the period—

(a) beginning with the day after the day on which the notice is issued, and

(b) ending with—

(i) the day on which the failure is brought to an end, or

(ii) such earlier day as is specified in the notice.

(7) A monetary penalty notice must—

(a) explain the Secretary of State’s reasons for issuing the notice, and

(b) specify the time by which, and manner in which, the penalty must be paid.

(8) If a monetary penalty is not paid in time—

(a) the penalty (or the unpaid part of it) carries interest at the rate for the time being specified in section 17 of the Judgments Act 1838;

(b) the Secretary of State may recover the penalty (or the unpaid part of it), with the interest, as a civil debt.

(9) The Secretary of State must, by regulations, provide for the determination of—

(a) a maximum sum that may be specified under subsection (4), and

(b) a maximum sum that may be specified under subsection (6).

(10) Those regulations may determine the sum by reference to the turnover of the regulated body or other entities or undertakings that are connected with the regulated body in a manner specified in the regulations; and if they do so they may also make provision about—

(a) what counts as “turnover”;

(b) how turnover is to be calculated or assessed.

(11) A regulated body is not, in respect of the same conduct or omission, liable both to conviction of an offence under section 24 or 25 and to a monetary penalty under this section (so the occurrence of one, unless overturned or cancelled, means that the other can no longer take place).