OpenLegislation

Section 54 Notices on-the-spot etc..F22C1C2I1

England, Wales and Scotland

(1)

This section applies where F1... on any occasion a constable in uniform F2, or a vehicle examiner who produces his authority, has reason to believe that a person he finds

F3(a)

is committing or has on that occasion committed a fixed penalty offence; or

(b)

has, within the period of 28 days before the day of that occasion, committed a Community drivers’ hours offence.

(2)

Subject to F4the following provisions of this section, the constable F5or vehicle examiner may give him a fixed penalty notice in respect of the offence.

F6(3)

Where the offence appears to the constable or vehicle examiner to involve obligatory endorsement, the constable or vehicle examiner may only give him a fixed penalty notice under subsection (2) above in respect of the offence if—

(a)

the constable or vehicle examiner is satisfied, on accessing information held on his driving record, that he would not be liable to be disqualified under section 35 of this Act if he were convicted of that offenceF7...

F8(b)

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

F9(4)

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

F10(5)

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

F11(5A)

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

F12(5B)

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

F13(6)

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

F14(7)

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

F15(8)

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

F16(8A)

In a case where this section applies by virtue of subsection (1)(b), a constable or vehicle examiner may not give a person a fixed penalty notice for the Community drivers’ hours offence if the constable or vehicle examiner has reason to believe that—

(a)

a fixed penalty notice has already been given under this section to the person in relation to the offence;

(b)

a conditional offer has already been issued to the person under section 75 of this Act in relation to the offence;

(c)

proceedings have already been initiated against the person for the offence; or

(d)

any other penalty has already been imposed on, or other proceedings have already been initiated against, the person in respect of the relevant breach in Northern Ireland F17, an EU member State, F18or in another contracting country.

(8B)

In subsection (8A)(d) “relevant breach” means the breach of the applicable Community rules which constitutes the Community drivers’ hours offence concerned.

F19(9)

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

F20(10)

In determining for the purposes of F21this section whether a person convicted of an offence would be liable to disqualification under section 35, it shall be assumed, in the case of an offence in relation to which a range of numbers is shown in the last column of Part I of Schedule 2 to this Act, that the number of penalty points to be attributed to the offence would be the lowest in the range.

Annotations

Textual amendments

F1

Words in s. 54(1) omitted (30.11.2022 for S.) by virtue of Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 (c. 32), ss. 97(1), 208(1); S.I. 2022/1187, reg. 4(b) (with Pt. 3)

F2

Words in s. 54(1) inserted (31.3.2009) by Road Safety Act 2006 (c. 49), s. 61(1)(10), Sch. 1 para. 3(2); S.I. 2008/3164, art. 3(b)

F3

Words in s. 54(1) substituted (31.1.2018) by The Community Drivers Hours Offences (Enforcement) Regulations 2018 (S.I. 2018/24), regs. 1, 3(2) (with reg. 11)

F4

Words in s. 54(2) substituted (1.4.2009) by Road Safety Act 2006 (c. 49), s. 61(1)(10), Sch. 2 para. 14(2); S.I. 2008/3164, art. 4(b)

F5

Words in s. 54(2) inserted (31.3.2009) by Road Safety Act 2006 (c. 49), s. 61(1)(10), Sch. 1 para. 3(3); S.I. 2008/3164, art. 3(b)

F6

S. 54(3)-(5B) substituted for s. 54(3)-(5E) (8.6.2015) by Road Safety Act 2006 (c. 49), ss. 10(4), 61(1)(10) (with s. 61(3)); S.I. 2015/560, art. 3(a) (with arts. 4-9)

F7

Words in s. 54(3)(a) omitted (30.11.2022) by virtue of Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 (c. 32), ss. 93(3)(a)(i), 208(1); S.I. 2022/1187, reg. 4(a) (with Pt. 3)

F8

S. 54(3)(b) omitted (30.11.2022) by virtue of Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 (c. 32), ss. 93(3)(a)(ii), 208(1); S.I. 2022/1187, reg. 4(a) (with Pt. 3)

F9

S. 54(4) omitted (30.11.2022) by virtue of Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 (c. 32), ss. 93(3)(b), 208(1); S.I. 2022/1187, reg. 4(a) (with Pt. 3)

F10

S. 54(5) omitted (30.11.2022) by virtue of Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 (c. 32), ss. 93(3)(b), 208(1); S.I. 2022/1187, reg. 4(a) (with Pt. 3)

F11

S. 54(5A) omitted (30.11.2022) by virtue of Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 (c. 32), ss. 93(3)(b), 208(1); S.I. 2022/1187, reg. 4(a) (with Pt. 3)

F12

S. 54(5B) omitted (30.11.2022) by virtue of Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 (c. 32), ss. 93(3)(b), 208(1); S.I. 2022/1187, reg. 4(a) (with Pt. 3)

F13

S. 54(6) omitted (30.11.2022) by virtue of Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 (c. 32), ss. 93(3)(b), 208(1); S.I. 2022/1187, reg. 4(a) (with Pt. 3)

F14

S. 54(7) omitted (30.11.2022) by virtue of Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 (c. 32), ss. 93(3)(b), 208(1); S.I. 2022/1187, reg. 4(a) (with Pt. 3)

F15

S. 54(8) repealed (1.7.1992) by Road Traffic Act 1991 (c.40, SIF 107:1), s. 83, Sch. 8; S.I. 1992/1286, art. 2, Sch., Appendix

F16

S. 54(8A)(8B) inserted (31.1.2018) by The Community Drivers Hours Offences (Enforcement) Regulations 2018 (S.I. 2018/24), regs. 1, 3(3) (with reg. 11)

F17

Words in s. 54(8A)(d) added (31.12.2020 immediately after the coming into force of S.I. 2019/453, Pts. 3, 4) by The Drivers’ Hours and Tachographs (Amendment) Regulations 2020 (S.I. 2020/1658), regs. 1(3), 5(2)

F18

Words in s. 54(8A)(d) substituted (31.12.2020) by The Drivers' Hours and Tachographs (Amendment etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/453), regs. 1(3), 42; 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)

F19

S. 54(9) omitted (30.11.2022) by virtue of Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 (c. 32), ss. 93(3)(b), 208(1); S.I. 2022/1187, reg. 4(a) (with Pt. 3)

F20

S. 54(10) added (1.7.1992) by Road Traffic Act 1991 (c. 40, SIF 107:1), s. 48, Sch. 4 para. 103(3); S.I. 1992/1286, art. 2, Sch.

F21

Words in s. 54(10) substituted (1.4.2009) by Road Safety Act 2006 (c. 49), s. 61(1)(10), Sch. 2 para. 14(6); S.I. 2008/3164, art. 4(b)

F22

Word in s. 54 heading substituted (31.3.2009) by Road Safety Act 2006 (c. 49), s. 61(1)(10), Sch. 1 para. 3(9); S.I. 2008/3164, art. 3(b)

Modifications

C1

S. 54 extended (prosp.) by 2002 c. 30, ss. 41, 108(2)-(5), Sch. 5 para. 1(2)(a)

C2

S. 54 extended (2.12.2002) by 2002 c. 30, s. 38, Sch. 4 para. 1(2)(b); S.I. 2002/2750, art. 2(a)(ii)(a)

Commencement

I1

S. 54 not in force for S. at Royal Assent, see s. 99(3)(4); s. 54 in force for S. for all purposes except for the functions conferred by that section on vehicle examiners at 30.11.2022 by S.I. 2022/1187, reg. 5

Notes on Part III

Modifications

C1

Pt. III (ss. 51–90) amended by (E.W.) S.I. 1990/335, art. 2(1) and (S.) S.I. 1990/466, art. 2(1)

Pt. III (ss. 51-90) amended (1.8.1999) by S.I. 1999/1851, art. 2(1)

C2

Pt. III modified (16.8.2013) by The Fixed Penalty Offences Order 2013 (S.I. 2013/1565), arts. 1, 2

C3

Definition in Pt. III (ss. 51-90) applied (E.W.) (1.10.1992) by Criminal Justice Act 1991 (c. 53, SIF 39:1), ss. 18(7)(b), 101(1) (with Sch. 12 para. 6); S.I. 1992/333, art. 2(2), Sch.2