Update to Traffic Commissioner COVID-19 Guidance – 1st April 2020

On 1st April 2020 the existing guidance to operators issued by the Senior Traffic Commissioner (original article here) was updated.

The latest version of the Guidance can be found here.

In addition to further detail on the provisions relating to transport managers who are unable to attend operator centres due to being in self-isolation or more generally because of the government's travelling restrictions, the guidance has been extended to cover transport managers who have been furloughed, including a requirement in those circumstances for operators to write to the Traffic Commissioner to provide an explanation of how the transport management arrangements will function while the COVID-19 restrictions remain in place.

In relation to provisions for the extension of PMI intervals and the inspection requirements where vehicles are returned to service having been off the road for a number of weeks, a number of worked examples based upon different timescales and vehicle ages have been added in order to provide greater clarity.

Further information and detail have also been added in relation to the provisions for bus service registrations, cancellations or variations, including at Annex B a note on temporary arrangements for varying local services.

Finally, at Annex A, a specimen application form has been added so that operators can apply to request a temporary exemption from the requirement to hold a standard goods vehicle operator's licence, dispensation for restricted licence holders to operate for hire and reward, or dispensation for existing standard licence holders to operate more vehicles than presently specified.  In accordance with the guidance, these measures are only available and applicable where necessary to meet an urgent public demand in the light of the present COVID-19 pandemic.

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