173.This section amends section 26 of the TA 1985 (conditions attached to PSV operator’s licence) which empowers a traffic commissioner to attach conditions to the licences of operators who engage in certain conduct, such as failing to comply with particular requirements applying to local bus services or failing to take the necessary steps to maintain their vehicles in a fit and serviceable condition. Such conditions may prohibit the operator from using vehicles to provide specified local services, or prevent him from providing any local services.
*The requirements applying to local bus services (outside London) include that a local service has been registered under section 6 of the TA 1985, that the registered particulars (including the route and timetable) have been complied with and that, where applicable, the standards required under a quality partnership scheme have been complied with.
174.The amendments in subsections (1) to (6) of section 62 would enable a traffic commissioner to attach such conditions to any other licence held by that operator (by directing the traffic commissioner for the traffic area in which that licence is held to do so), or to the licence of another operator that is connected with the operator in default (for example, a subsidiary of the same holding company). A traffic commissioner who is given a direction by another commissioner must attach the condition unless he considers there is a good reason not to do so. The amendments also enable a condition to be attached either indefinitely or for a specified period of time.
175.Subsections (7) to (9) amend subsections (5) and (6) of section 26 of the TA 1985, which allow a traffic commissioner to attach a condition to a licence to restrict the vehicles which a PSV operator may use under that licence to particular vehicles specified in a condition. This provision may be used where the commissioner is of the view that vehicles have not been maintained in a fit and serviceable condition, and applies to PSV operators generally, not just to operators of local services. These amendments also enable such conditions to be attached to licences held in other traffic areas by the same operator and to licences of other subsidiary companies.