Traffic Commissioner Inquiries

Barristers at St Pauls Chambers are often instructed to represent clients before the Traffic Commissioners

Key facts about Traffic Commissioners:

• Operator licensing is about managing risks to safety, allowing fair competition whilst also seeking greater reliability for passengers.
• They are regulators but also carry out judicial functions to achieve those aims of safe, reliable and fair transport of passengers and goods.
• They represent a modern approach to regulation (see below), allowing value for money decision making.
• The independence of Traffic Commissioners ensures the fairness of individual licensing decisions.
• As modern regulators Traffic Commissioners work with others to improve safety, competition and the reliability of road transport.

Traffic Commissioners use their powers to ensure that people operating the types of vehicle detailed above are reputable, competent, and adequately funded. Action by the Traffic Commissioners is intended to encourage all operators to adopt robust systems, so that there is fair competition and that the operation of goods and public service vehicles is safe.

As part of the system for the licensing of public service vehicle and goods vehicle operators, and the registration of local bus services, Traffic Commissioners can also take action against members of those industries. They can also impose financial penalties against bus companies for failures to run registered local transport services on time. Where vehicles have been impounded for operating illegally, Traffic Commissioners can decide if they will be returned.

Traffic Commissioners are also given responsibility to consider on behalf of the Secretary of State the fitness of drivers or those applying for passenger carrying vehicle or large goods vehicle driving licences based on their conduct. Traffic Commissioners can also be asked to impose traffic regulation conditions to prevent danger to road users and/or reduce traffic congestion and/or pollution.