Part 1Traffic Officers

Jurisdiction and powers of traffic officers

I15The special powers of a traffic officer

1

For the purposes of this Part the special powers of a traffic officer are the following—

a

powers conferred by sections 6 and 7;

b

powers conferred by orders under section 8; and

c

powers conferred by or under any other Act which are expressed to be special powers for the purposes of this section.

2

The exercise of those powers is subject to the following restrictions.

3

Those powers may only be exercised for one or more of the following purposes—

a

maintaining or improving the movement of traffic on a relevant road over which the traffic officer has jurisdiction by virtue of section 3;

b

preventing or reducing the effect of anything causing (or which has the potential to cause) congestion or other disruption to the movement of traffic on such a road;

c

avoiding danger to persons or other traffic using such a road (or preventing risks of any such danger arising);

d

preventing damage to, or to anything on or near, such a road;

or for a purpose incidental to any of those purposes.

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Subject to that, those powers may be exercised—

a

on or in relation to any relevant road over which the traffic officer has jurisdiction to act by virtue of section 3; or

b

if the condition specified in subsection (5) is met, on or in relation to any other road in England and Wales.

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The condition is that the traffic officer is acting—

a

at the direction of the chief officer of police for the area in which the road is situated; or

b

with the consent of the traffic authority for the road.

6

A traffic officer may not exercise his special powers on a road unless he is in uniform.