Public Passenger Vehicles Act 1981

1. Introductory Text

2. PART I Preliminary

   1. Definition and classification of public service vehicles

      1. 1. Definition of “public service vehicle”.

      2. 2. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

   2. Traffic Areas and Traffic commissioners

      1. 3. Traffic areas.

      2. 4. Traffic commissioners.

      3. 4A. Appointment of senior traffic commissioner

      4. 4B. Power of senior traffic commissioner to deploy other commissioners

      5. 4C. Power of senior traffic commissioner to give guidance and directions

      6. 4D. Guidance to senior traffic commissioner by Secretary of State

      7. 5. Publication of information by traffic commissioners.

3. PART II General Provisions Relating to Public Service Vehicles

   1. Fitness of public service vehicles

      1. 6. Certificate of initial fitness (or equivalent) required for use as public service vehicles.

      2. 7. Certifying officers and public service vehicle examiners.

      3. 8. Powers of, and facilities for, inspection of public service vehicles.

      4. 9. Power to prohibit driving of unfit public service vehicles.

      5. 9A. Extension of sections 8 and 9 to certain passenger vehicles other than public service vehicles.

      6. 10. Approval of type vehicle and effect thereof.

      7. 11. Modification of section 6 in relation to experimental vehicles.

   2. Public service vehicle operators’ licences

      1. 12. PSV operators’ licences.

      2. 12A. Detention of certain PSVs used without PSV operators' licences

      3. 12B. Power to stop

      4. 13. Classification of licences.

      5. 14. Grant of licences

      6. 14ZA. Requirements for standard licences

      7. 14ZB. Requirements for restricted licences

      8. 14ZC. Requirements for standard and restricted licences

      9. 14A. Objections to application for PSV operator’s licence.

      10. 15. Duration of licences.

      11. 16. Conditions attached to licences.

      12. 16A. Conditions as to matters required to be notified.

      13. 17. Revocation, suspension etc. of licences.

      14. 17A. Assessors to assist traffic commissioners.

      15. 18. Duty to exhibit operator’s disc.

      16. 19. Duty to inform traffic commissioners of relevant convictions etc.

      17. 20. Duty to give traffic commissioners information about vehicles.

      18. 21. Certificates of qualification.

   3. Drivers’ licences

      1. 22. Drivers’ licences.

      2. 23. Appeals to courts of summary jurisdiction in connection with driver’s licences.

      3. 23A. Northern Ireland drivers’ licences.

   4. Regulation of conduct etc. of drivers, inspectors, conductors and passengers

      1. 24. Regulation of conduct of drivers, inspectors and conductors.

      2. 25. Regulation of conduct of passengers.

      3. 26. Control of number of passengers.

   5. Supplementary provisions

      1. 27. Returns to be provided by persons operating public service vehicles.

      2. 28. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

      3. 29. Avoidance of contracts so far as restrictive of liability in respect of death of or injury to passengers in public service vehicles.

4. PART III

   1. 30–41. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

5. PART IV

   1. 42–45. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

   2. Fare-paying passengers on school buses

      1. 46. Fare-paying passengers on school buses.

      2. 47, 48. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

      3. 49. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

      4. 49A. Review of decisions.

6. PART V Miscellaneous and Supplementary

   1. Appeals to the Secretary of State

      1. 50. Appeals to the Upper Tribunal

      2. 51. Appeals to the Secretary of State.

      3. 52. Fees for grant of licences etc.

      4. 53. Payment of expenses.

   2. Provisions relating to traffic commissioners etc.

      1. 54. Inquiries held by traffic commissioners.

      2. 55. Annual report of traffic commissioners and metropolitan police commissioner.

      3. 56. Records of licences.

      4. 56A. Correction of errors

   3. Supplementary provisions as to licences etc.

      1. 57. Death, bankruptcy etc. of licence holder.

      2. 58. Partnerships and related matters.

   4. Regulations

      1. 59. Power to make regulations as to procedure on applications for licences.

      2. 60. General power to make regulations for purposes of Act.

      3. 61. Exercise of regulation making powers and parliamentary control thereof.

   5. Provisions relating to Metropolitan Traffic Area

      1. 62. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

      2. 63. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

      3. 64. Exclusion of certain enactments as respects Metropolitan Traffic Area.

   6. Provisions relating to offences and legal proceedings

      1. 65. Forgery and misuse of documents etc.

      2. 66. False statements to obtain licence etc.

      3. 66A. Issue of false documents.

      4. 67. Penalty for breach of regulations.

      5. 68. Defences available to persons charged with certain offences.

      6. 69. Restriction on institution in England and Wales of proceedings under Part II or III.

      7. 70. Duty to give information as to identity of driver in certain cases.

      8. 71. Evidence by certificate.

      9. 72. Proof in summary proceedings of identity of driver of vehicle.

      10. 73. Time within which summary proceedings for certain offences may be commenced.

      11. 74. Offences by companies.

      12. 75. Destination of fines.

   7. Inquiries

      1. 76. General power to hold inquiries.

      2. 77. General provisions as to inquiries.

   8. Supplementary provisions

      1. 78. Power of Minister to modify or revoke restrictions in local Acts.

      2. 79. Vehicles excluded from regulation as private hire vehicles.

      3. 79A. Small PSVs subject to regulation as private hire vehicles.

      4. 80. Construction of references to traffic areas.

      5. 81. Interpretation of references to the operator of a vehicle or service.

      6. 82. General interpretation provisions.

      7. 83. Construction of references in other Acts etc. to public service vehicles, licensing authorities etc.

      8. 84. Protection of public interests.

      9. 85. Saving for law of nuisance.

      10. 86. Saving for sections 16 and 17 of the Interpretation Act 1978.

      11. 87. Power of Secretary of State to repeal section 10 of this Act.

      12. 88. Transitional provisions, consequential amendments and repeals.

      13. 89. Short title, commencement and extent.

7. SCHEDULES

   1. SCHEDULE 1

      Public Service Vehicles: Conditions Affecting Status or Classification

      1. Part I Sharing of Taxis and Hire-Cars

         1. 1. The making of the agreement for the payment of separate...

         2. 2. (1) The journey must be made without previous advertisement to...

         3. 3. Public Service Vehicles: Conditions Affecting Status or Classification

      2. Part II

         1. 4. Public Service Vehicles: Conditions Affecting Status or Classification

      3. Part III Alternative Conditions Affecting Status or Classification

         1. 5. Arrangements for the bringing together of all the passengers for...

         2. 6. The journey must be made without previous advertisement to the...

         3. 7. All passengers must, in the case of a journey to...

         4. 8. No differentiation of fares for the journey on the basis...

      4. Part IV Supplementary

         1. 9. For the purposes of paragraphs 2 and 6 above no...

   2. SCHEDULE 2

      Traffic Commissioners

      1. Terms of service of traffic commissioners

         1. 1. The Secretary of State may remove a traffic commissioner from...

         2. 2. If a traffic commissioner acquires a financial interest in a...

      2. Deputy traffic commissioners for England and Wales

         1. 2A. (1) The Secretary of State may appoint such number of...

      3. Appointment and terms of office of deputies to traffic commissioners in Scotland

         1. 2B. Paragraphs 3 to 5 below have effect in relation to...

         2. 3. In the case of illness, incapacity or absence of a...

         3. 4. If the Secretary of State considers that the duties to...

         4. 5. A person appointed under paragraph 4 above shall be appointed...

      4. Appointment of acting traffic commissioner during vacancy

         1. 5A. (1) Where the office of any traffic commissioner for England...

         2. 6. (1) Where the office of traffic commissioner for any traffic...

      5. Staff of traffic commissioners

         1. 7. Subject to the approval of the Treasury, the Secretary of...

      6. Remuneration and pensions

         1. 8. (1) There shall be paid to a traffic commissioner and...

         2. 9. The principal civil service pension scheme (within the meaning of...

   3. SCHEDULE 2A

      Detention of certain PSVs used without PSV operators' licences

      1. Interpretation

         1. 1. (1) In this Schedule— “ authorised person ” means— an...

      2. Detention of property

         1. 2. (1) Regulations may provide that where an authorised person has...

      3. The vehicle and any other property detained, the passengers, and any personal effects

         1. 3. (1) Regulations may, in connection with the detaining of a...

      4. Immobilisation of vehicle

         1. 4. (1) Regulations may provide that, before a vehicle is removed...

      5. Offences relating to immobilisation

         1. 5. (1) Regulations may provide that a person—

      6. Removal and delivery of property into custody of nominated custodian

         1. 6. (1) Regulations may make provision for an authorised person to...

      7. Informing persons that their property has been detained etc

         1. 7. (1) This paragraph applies in relation to any property—

      8. Return of vehicle

         1. 8. Regulations may make provision authorising a vehicle detained by virtue...

      9. Application to traffic commissioner for return of vehicle

         1. 9. (1) Regulations must make provision enabling the owner of a...

      10. Hearings by traffic commissioner

          1. 10. (1) Regulations must make provision— (a) enabling a traffic commissioner...

      11. Consequences of the traffic commissioner's determination

          1. 11. Regulations must provide that— (a) if a traffic commissioner determines...

      12. Appeal to Upper Tribunal from traffic commissioner

          1. 12. (1) Regulations must provide for an appeal to the Upper...

      13. Sale or destruction of vehicle where no application made under paragraph 9

          1. 13. Regulations may provide that, if no application is made to...

      14. Return or disposal of contents and personal effects

          1. 14. (1) Regulations may provide that the nominated custodian may retain...

      15. Custody of property

          1. 15. (1) Regulations must provide that while any property is in...

      16. Proceeds of sale

          1. 16. (1) Regulations must provide for the proceeds of sale of...

      17. Disputes

          1. 17. (1) Regulations may make provision about the proceedings to be...

      18. Obstruction of authorised person

          1. 18. Regulations may provide that a person who intentionally obstructs an...

      19. Offences as to securing possession of property

          1. 19. (1) Regulations may provide that a person is guilty of...

   4. SCHEDULE 3

      Supplementary Provision as to Qualifications for PSV Operator’s Licence

      1. Good repute

         1. 1. (1) In determining whether an individual is of good repute,...

      2. Appropriate financial standing

         1. 2. (1) Being of appropriate financial standing in relation to an...

      3. Professional competence

         1. 3. References in Part II of this Act to professional competence...

         2. 4. Where an individual is not himself professionally competent, the requirement...

         3. 5. Supplementary Provision as to Qualifications for Operator’s Licence

         4. 6. (1) ... an individual shall be regarded as professionally competent...

         5. 7. In paragraph 6 above “approved body” means—

      4. Determinations in respect of transport managers

         1. 7A. (1) A traffic commissioner must not in any proceedings under...

         2. 7B. (1) In proceedings under this Act or the 2009 Regulation...

         3. 7C. (1) A traffic commissioner may, subject to sub-paragraph (2), at...

      5. Supplementary Provision as to Qualifications for Operator’s Licence

         1. 8. Supplementary Provision as to Qualifications for Operator’s Licence

         2. 9. Supplementary Provision as to Qualifications for Operator’s Licence

         3. 10. Supplementary Provision as to Qualifications for Operator’s Licence

   5. SCHEDULES 4, 5

      . . .

   6. SCHEDULE 6

      Transitional Provisions and Savings

      1. Periods of time

         1. 1. Where a period of time specified in an enactment repealed...

      2. Saving for transitional provisions and savings in orders under section 70(5) and (6) of Transport Act 1980

         1. 2. Where any provision of the Transport Act 1980 which is...

      3. Certificates of initial fitness

         1. 3. A certificate of fitness issued in respect of a vehicle...

         2. 4. For the purposes of subsection (1) of section 6 of...

   7. SCHEDULE 7

      Consequential Amendments

      1. Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1953 (c. 26)

         1. 1. In section 4(4) of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act...

      2. Local Government (Omnibus Shelters and Queue Barriers) (Scotland) Act 1958 (c. 50)

         1. 2. In section 7(1) of the Local Government (Omnibus Shelters and...

      3. Finance Act 1965 (c. 25)

         1. 3. In section 92 of the Finance Act 1965, in the...

         2. 4–8. Consequential Amendments

      4. Transport Act 1968 (c. 73)

         1. 9. Consequential Amendments

         2. 10. In section 159(1) of that Act— (a) in the definition...

      5. Transport (London)Act 1969 (c. 35)

         1. 11. In section 23 of the Transport (London) Act 1969—

         2. 12–15. Consequential Amendments

      6. Road Traffic (Foreign Vehicles) Act 1972 (c. 27)

         1. 16. In section 4(2)(b) of the Road Traffic (Foreign Vehicles) Act...

         2. 17. In section 7(1) of that Act— (a) . . ....

         3. 18. In Schedule 1 to that Act for the words “Section...

      7. Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976 (c. 57)

         1. 19. In section 63(3)(b) of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act...

         2. 20. In section 80(1) of that Act, in the definition of...

      8. Energy Act 1976 (c. 76)

         1. 21. In paragraph 1 of Schedule 1 to the Energy Act...

         2. 22. In paragraph 2 of Schedule 1 to that Act for...

      9. Transport Act 1978 (c. 55)

         1. 23. In section 1(2)(a) of the Transport Act 1978 for the...

         2. 24. Consequential Amendments

   8. SCHEDULE 8

      Repeals