Road Traffic Act 1960

127 Public service vehicle licences

(1) No person shall cause or permit a motor vehicle to be used on a road as a stage carriage, an express carriage or a contract carriage unless he is the holder of a licence (in this Part of this Act referred to as a " public service vehicle licence ") so to use the vehicle in accordance with the provisions of this Part of this Act.

(2) A licence to use a vehicle as a stage carriage shall authorise the holder to use the vehicle as an express carriage or as a contract carriage.

(3) A licence to use a vehicle as an express carriage shall authorise the holder to use the vehicle as a contract carriage.

(4) In the case of a service of stage carriages, a licence to use a vehicle as an express carriage shall authorise the use of the vehicle on the service if the traffic commissioners for each of the traffic areas in which the vehicle is to be so used think that it may in any special circumstances, including the character of the service, properly be so used and consent in writing thereto.

(5) If a person causes or permits a vehicle to be used in contravention of this section, he shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding twenty pounds, or in the case of a second or subsequent conviction to a fine not exceeding fifty pounds or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding three months.

(6) The authority having power to grant a public service vehicle licence shall be the traffic commissioners for the traffic area within or from which the vehicle is, at the time of application for the licence, intended to be ordinarily operated.

(7) A public service vehicle licence may be refused or, if it has already been granted, may at any time be suspended or revoked by the traffic commissioners by whom it was granted if, having regard to the conduct of the applicant for or holder of the licence or to the manner in which the vehicle is being used, it appears to them that he is not a fit person to hold such a licence; and a licence suspended under this subsection, shall during the time of suspension be of no effect.

(8) A public service vehicle licence granted by the traffic commissioners for one traffic area shall be valid in every other traffic area.

(9) A public service vehicle licence shall, unless previously revoked, continue in force for one year from the date on which it is expressed to take effect.