Road Traffic Act 1988

[F1 117 Disqualification on revocation of licence. E+W+S

(1) Where in pursuance of section 115(1)(a) of this Act the Secretary of State revokes a person’s large goods vehicle or passenger-carrying vehicle driver’s licence, the Secretary of State must, in accordance with the regulations made [F2 in pursuance of section 115(3)], order that person to be disqualified indefinitely or for the period determined in accordance with the regulations.

(2) Where in pursuance of section 115(1)(b) of this Act the Secretary of State revokes a person’s large goods vehicle or passenger-carrying vehicle driver’s licence, the Secretary of State may—

(a) order the holder to be disqualified indefinitely or for such period as the Secretary of State thinks fit, or

(b) except where the licence is a provisional licence, if it appears to the Secretary of State that, owing to the conduct of the holder of the licence, it is expedient to require him to comply with the prescribed conditions applicable to provisional licences under Part III of this Act until he passes the prescribed test of competence to drive large goods vehicles or passenger-carrying vehicles of any class, order him to be disqualified for holding or obtaining a full licence until he passes such a test.

[F3 (2A) Regulations may make provision for the application of subsections (1) and (2) above, in such circumstances and with such modifications as may be prescribed, where a person’s large goods vehicle or passenger-carrying vehicle driver’s licence is treated as revoked by virtue of section 37(1) of the Road Traffic Offenders Act 1988 (effect of disqualification by order of a court).]

(3) If, while the holder of a large goods vehicle or passenger-carrying vehicle driver’s licence is disqualified under subsection (1) above, the circumstances prescribed for the purposes of section 115(1)(a) of this Act cease to exist in his case, the Secretary of State must, on an application made to him for the purpose, remove the disqualification.

(4) Where the holder of a large goods vehicle or passenger-carrying vehicle driver’s licence is disqualified under subsection (2)(a) above, the Secretary of State may, in such circumstances as may be prescribed, remove the disqualification.

(5) Where the holder of a full licence is disqualified under subsection (2)(b) above, the Secretary of State must not afterwards grant him a full licence to drive a large goods vehicle or passenger-carrying 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.

(6) So long as the disqualification under subsection (1) or (2)(a) above of the holder of a large goods vehicle or passenger-carrying vehicle driver’s licence continues in force, a large goods vehicle or passenger-carrying vehicle driver’s licence must not be granted to him and any such licence obtained by him shall be of no effect.

(7) In this section “disqualified”—

(a) in a case of revocation on the ground of the conduct of the holder of the licence as a driver, means disqualified for holding or obtaining a licence under Part III of this Act to drive large goods vehicles of the prescribed classes and passenger-carrying vehicles of the prescribed classes; and

(b) in a case of revocation of a passenger-carrying vehicle driver’s licence on the ground of the conduct of the holder otherwise than as a driver, means disqualified for holding or obtaining a licence under Part III of this Act to drive passenger-carrying vehicles of the prescribed classes.]

Textual Amendments

F1 Pt. IV (ss. 110–122): by Road Traffic (Driver Licensing and Information Systems) Act 1989 (c. 22, SIF 107:1), s. 1(1)(2)(7), 16, Sch. 6 it is provided that Pt. IV (entitled "Licensing of drivers of heavy goods vehicles") shall cease to have effect and is repealed (1.4.1991) and by s. 2(1) of that 1989 Act (coming into force 1.4.1991) it is provided that there shall be inserted as Part IV (entitled "Licensing of drivers of large goods vehicles and passenger-carrying vehicles") of this 1988 Act the provisions set out in Schedule 2 to that 1989 Act which: (a) apply both to the licensing of the drivers of large goods vehicles and to the licensing of the drivers of passenger-carrying vehicles (as there defined); and (b) re-enact and assimilate certain of the provisions of Part IV of the 1988 Act (as originally enacted) and of section 22 of the Public Passenger Vehicles Act 1981 (c. 14) to take account of the abolition by section 1 above of special licences to drive heavy goods vehicles and public service vehicles and the granting after the appointed day of licences to drive such vehicles under Part III of the 1988 Act

F2 Words in s. 117(1) substituted (1.7.1992) by Road Traffic Act 1991 (c. 40, SIF 107:1), s. 48, Sch. 4 para. 65(2); S.I. 1992/1286, art. 2,Sch.

F3 S. 117(2A) inserted (1.7.1992) by Road Traffic Act 1991 (c. 40, SIF 107:1), s. 48, Sch. 4 para. 65(3); S.I. 1992/1286, art. 2,Sch.