(1)Section 18 of the 1981 Act (duty to exhibit operator’s disc) shall be amended as follows.
(2)For subsection (2) (which requires the holder of a PSV operator’s licence to be supplied with a number of operators' discs equal to the maximum number of vehicles that he may use under the licence) there shall be substituted—
“(2)A traffic commissioner on granting a PSV operator’s licence shall supply the person to whom the licence is granted—
(a)with a number of operators' discs equal to the maximum number of vehicles that he may use under the licence in accordance with the condition or conditions attached to the licence under section 16(1) of this Act; or
(b)with such lesser number of operators' discs as he may request.
(2A)Where, in the case of any PSV operator’s licence, the maximum number referred to in subsection (2)(a) above is increased on the variation of one or more of the conditions there referred to, the traffic commissioner on making the variation shall supply the holder of the licence—
(a)with such number of additional operators' discs as will bring the total number of operators' discs held by him in respect of the licence to that maximum number, or
(b)with such lesser number of additional operators' discs as he may request.
(2B)Where the number of operators' discs currently held in respect of a PSV operator’s licence is less than the maximum number referred to in subsection (2)(a) above, the traffic commissioner by whom the licence was granted shall on the application of the holder of the licence supply him with such number of additional operators' discs as is mentioned in subsection (2A)(a) or (b) above.
(2C)Where, in accordance with regulations under subsection (3)(aa) below, all the operators' discs held in respect of a PSV operator’s licence expire at the same time, the traffic commissioner by whom the licence was granted shall supply the holder of the licence with a number of new operators' discs equal to the number of discs that have expired.”
(3)In subsection (3) (provision that may be made by regulations)—
(a)after paragraph (a) there shall be inserted—
“(aa)as to the expiry of operators' discs;”, and
(b)at the end there shall be added—
“(e)for the voluntary return of operators' discs by the holder of a PSV operator’s licence.”