Part 1

Traffic Officers

Jurisdiction and powers of traffic officers

The special powers of a traffic officer
5
1
For the purposes of this Part the special powers of a traffic officer are the following—
a
powers conferred by sections 6 and 7;
b
powers conferred by orders under section 8; and
c
powers conferred by or under any other Act which are expressed to be special powers for the purposes of this section.
2
The exercise of those powers is subject to the following restrictions.
3
Those powers may only be exercised for one or more of the following purposes—
a
maintaining or improving the movement of traffic on a relevant road over which the traffic officer has jurisdiction by virtue of section 3;
b
preventing or reducing the effect of anything causing (or which has the potential to cause) congestion or other disruption to the movement of traffic on such a road;
c
avoiding danger to persons or other traffic using such a road (or preventing risks of any such danger arising);
d
preventing damage to, or to anything on or near, such a road;
or for a purpose incidental to any of those purposes.
4
Subject to that, those powers may be exercised—
a
on or in relation to any relevant road over which the traffic officer has jurisdiction to act by virtue of section 3; or
b
if the condition specified in subsection (5) is met, on or in relation to any other road in England and Wales.
5
The condition is that the traffic officer is acting—
a
at the direction of the chief officer of police for the area in which the road is situated; or
b
with the consent of the traffic authority for the road.
6
A traffic officer may not exercise his special powers on a road unless he is in uniform.