Road Traffic Act 1960

166 Classes of carriers' licences, and acts authorised thereby

(1) Carriers' licences shall be of the following classes, that is to say—

(a) public carriers' licences (in this Part of this Act referred to as " A licences ");

(b) limited carriers' licences (in this Part of this Act referred to as " B licences "); and

(c) private carriers' licences (in this Part of this Act referred to as " C licences ").

(2) Subject to the provisions of this Part of this Act, an A licence shall entitle the holder thereof to use the authorised vehicles for the carriage of goods for hire or reward, and shall also entitle him to use those vehicles for the carriage of goods for or in connection with his business as a carrier of goods (whether that business is conducted by the use of road transport or any other kind of transport).

(3) Subject to the provisions of this Part of this Act, a B licence shall entitle the holder thereof to use the authorised vehicles, as he thinks fit from time to time,—

(a) for the carriage of goods for or in connection with a trade or business carried on by him, or

(b) subject to any conditions which the licensing authority, in the exercise of his discretion to attach conditions to a B licence, may attach to the licence, for the carriage of goods for hire or reward.

(4) Subject to the provisions of this Part of this Act, a C licence shall entitle the holder thereof—

(a) to use the authorised vehicles for the carriage of goods for or in connection with a trade or business carried on by him, or

(b) if specially authorised by the licensing authority in a case of emergency, to use an authorised vehicle for the carriage of goods, in accordance with any conditions imposed by the authority in giving the authorisation, for any person to whom he lets the vehicle.

The licensing authority shall not give an authorisation under paragraph (b) of this subsection unless he is satisfied that the needs of the person for whom the goods are to be carried cannot conveniently be met from other sources.

(5) In relation to an A licence of which the holder is a person carrying on a canal, dock or harbour undertaking, subsection (2) of this section shall have effect as if the following words were inserted at the end of the subsection, that is to say—

“or for or in connection with the canal, dock or harbour undertaking carried on by him”.