New Senior Traffic Commissioner appointed
Beverley Bell has been appointed Senior Traffic Commissioner for the next four years.
Beverley Bell has been appointed Senior Traffic Commissioner for the next 4 years. She will take up post on 1 June.
Beverley has been Acting Senior Traffic Commissioner since Philip Brown’s retirement last October, and becomes only the second Senior Traffic Commissioner appointed following the changes in the Local Transport Act 2008 that gave the post-holder new responsibilities to determine how the traffic commissioners perform their statutory functions.
Notes to editors
The traffic commissioners are appointed by the Secretary of State for Transport as statutorily independent licensing authorities responsible for bus, coach and goods vehicle operators and for local bus service registrations. They can also take disciplinary action against the licence of bus, coach and lorry drivers who commit road and certain other offences.
The role of Senior Traffic Commissioner gives the post-holder important responsibilities to determine how the traffic commissioners perform their statutory functions. For example:
- determining which statutory functions each traffic commissioner works on - this could allow traffic commissioners to specialise in particular areas - for example, goods vehicle operator licensing or local bus service registrations
- issuing general directions and guidance to the traffic commissioners and deputy traffic commissioners - directions cover administrative matters such as how to apply for an operators’ licence, guidance covers judicial matters such as how to interpret legislation
The policy and legislation on local bus service registrations are devolved in Scotland. The powers of the Senior Traffic Commissioner do not extend to bus service registrations in Scotland.
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