DIGEST of DECISIONS on APPEAL from TRAFFIC COMMISSIONERS (including Chronological List of Decisions) and Links to the relevant Acts, Rules and Regulations in relation to those appeals Decisions on appeal from The Registrar of the Driving Standards Agency and other ‘Transport’ Appeals to the First-tier Tribunal will now be found in the Transport Digest. Includes appeals heard up to 30 April 2013 Table of Contents [page numbers hyperlinked to text] Introduction ...................................................................................................................6 PART ONE: Appeals from Traffic Commissioners & The Department of the Environment for Northern Ireland, (DOENI) ..................................................................8 Chapter 1 Traffic Commissioners & DOENI ..........................................................................8 1. Appointment and Powers............................................................................................................8 2. Senior Traffic Commissioner......................................................................................................8 3. Independence ...................................................................................................................................8 4. Framework Document..................................................................................................................8 5. DOENI....................................................................................................................................................9 Chapter 2 The Requirement to hold an Operator’s Licence ........................................10 1. Heavy Goods Vehicles..................................................................................................................10 2. Public Service Vehicles ...............................................................................................................10 Chapter 3 Applications..............................................................................................................11 1. Senior Traffic Commissioner’s Statutory Guidance........................................................11 2. Essential requirements...............................................................................................................11 3. Miscellaneous points ...................................................................................................................12 Chapter 4 Call­up letters...........................................................................................................13 1. Notice of Issues ..............................................................................................................................13 2. Giving Notice...................................................................................................................................14 Chapter 5 Requirements for the Grant of a Licence ­ General ....................................16 1. Heavy Goods Vehicles..................................................................................................................16 2. Public Service Vehicles ...............................................................................................................16 Chapter 6 Establishment ..........................................................................................................18 1. General...............................................................................................................................................18 2. Senior Traffic Commissioner’s Statutory Guidance........................................................18 3. Operating Centres.........................................................................................................................18 (i) Availability ...................................................................................................................................................18 (ii) ‘Normally kept’..........................................................................................................................................18 4. Environmental Issues..................................................................................................................19 (i) Suitability......................................................................................................................................................19 (ii) Legal and Planning issues ....................................................................................................................20 5. Miscellaneous Points ...................................................................................................................22 Chapter 7 Repute & Fitness .....................................................................................................23 1. Heavy Goods Vehicles..................................................................................................................23 2. Public Service Vehicles ...............................................................................................................23 3. Senior Traffic Commissioner’s Statutory Guidance........................................................23 4. Burden of Proof & Approach ....................................................................................................23 5. Examples relating to repute......................................................................................................25 6. Convictions ......................................................................................................................................27 7. Restricted Licences.......................................................................................................................28 Chapter 8 Financial Standing..................................................................................................29 1. Standard Licences.........................................................................................................................29 2. Senior Traffic Commissioner’s Statutory Guidance........................................................29 3. Burden of Proof..............................................................................................................................29 4. Purpose .............................................................................................................................................29 5. “Having available”: meaning.....................................................................................................31 6. Revocation for lack of Financial Standing ‐ Mandatory ................................................32 7. Restricted Licences.......................................................................................................................32 8. Miscellaneous points ...................................................................................................................33 Chapter 9 Professional Competence and Transport Managers..................................34 1. Heavy Goods Vehicles..................................................................................................................34 2 31 March 2013 2. Public Service Vehicles ...............................................................................................................34 3. Senior Traffic Commissioner’s Statutory Guidance........................................................34 4. Burden of Proof..............................................................................................................................34 5. Change of Transport Manager .................................................................................................34 6. Position of Transport Manager ...............................................................................................35 7. Companies........................................................................................................................................36 Chapter 10 Hearings ..................................................................................................................37 1. Notice of Hearing...........................................................................................................................37 2. Burden of proof..............................................................................................................................37 3. Human Rights .................................................................................................................................38 4. Rules of Natural Justice...............................................................................................................38 5. Bias by Traffic Commissioner ..................................................................................................39 6. Practice when Bias or procedural irregularity is alleged.............................................40 7. Miscellaneous points ...................................................................................................................40 8. Impounding hearings ..................................................................................................................42 9. Adjournments.................................................................................................................................42 10. Evidence.........................................................................................................................................43