(1)Regulations may prohibit the operator of a goods vehicle from using it on a journey to, in or through a country outside the United Kingdom in relation to which there is a relevant international agreement unless—
(a)the use of that vehicle in that country is authorised by (and takes place in accordance with) a permit granted by the Secretary of State, and
(b)the permit is carried on the vehicle.
(2)A permit granted by the Secretary of State for the purposes of regulations under subsection (1) (referred to in this Part as an “international road transport permit”)—
(a)may be in any form the Secretary of State considers appropriate;
(b)may be in any language the Secretary of State considers appropriate;
(c)may be a document or other thing which was given to the Secretary of State by an authority in a country outside the United Kingdom.
(3)A prohibition imposed by regulations under subsection (1) may be limited—
(a)to journeys of a specified description,
(b)to vehicles of a specified description, or
(c)in any other way provided for by the regulations;
for example, a prohibition relating to Ireland may be limited so that it does not prohibit journeys beginning in Northern Ireland.
(4)In this section “relevant international agreement” means—
(a)in relation to a country other than Ireland, an international agreement—
(i)to which the United Kingdom is a party, and
(ii)which relates to the transport of goods by road to, in or through the country;
(b)in relation to Ireland, an international agreement—
(i)to which the United Kingdom is a party,
(ii)which the Secretary of State has certified as an agreement to which the Government of Ireland has consented, and
(iii)which relates to the transport of goods by road to, in or through Ireland.
(5)In this Part—
“goods vehicle” means a motor vehicle registered under the Vehicle Excise and Registration Act 1994 which (alone or in combination with one or more other vehicles drawn by it) is constructed or adapted to carry or to haul goods or burden of any description;
“motor vehicle” means a mechanically-propelled vehicle which is intended or adapted for use on roads;
“operator”, in relation to a goods vehicle, means—
the driver of the vehicle, if the vehicle belongs to the driver or is in the driver’s possession under an agreement for hire or hire-purchase, or a loan;
in any other case, the person whose employee or agent the driver is;
“regulations” means regulations made by the Secretary of State.