Operating within the regulations is a cornerstone of maintaining an operator licence in the UK. As a holder of this licence, it is mandatory to inform the Traffic Commissioner about any relevant fixed penalties or convictions. This obligation remains throughout the entire lifespan of your operator licence.
What to Notify?
It's crucial to understand what qualifies as a notifiable offence. Generally, these include any offences connected with driving or operating goods vehicles. Specific offences that need reporting are stipulated in detail under current laws. In Scotland, these notifications are referred to as conditional offers.
When and How to Notify?
Whenever such offences occur, the Traffic Commissioner must be informed promptly. This ensures that your licence remains in compliance with legal standards. The notification process includes detailing the offence and, more importantly, describing the corrective measures taken to prevent future occurrences.
Example of a Notification Letter
If you need to advise the Traffic Commissioner of a notifiable offence, here’s a template to help you structure your notification:
SAMPLE LETTER – ADVISING OF A NOTIFIABLE OFFENCE
Dear Sirs,
Operator Licence No: OB000000
Following the declaration made at the grant of our operator licence, I regret to inform you that one of our employees, Mr Laurie Driver, has been convicted of a drivers’ hours infringement after a roadside inspection in Preston, Lancashire.
We have been holders of an operator licence for [insert number] years, and we take our legal obligations very seriously. After a thorough investigation of this incident, we have implemented several measures to ensure this type of violation does not recur. [Detail the steps taken, supported by documents such as memos or training plans, if available.]
For further details about the incident or our corrective actions, please do not hesitate to contact the undersigned.
Yours faithfully,
[Your Name]
[Your Contact Information]
