2. Power to stop E+W+S
(1) Subject to subsection (2) and [ F3 sections 3A and 4 ] , no person shall use a goods vehicle on a road for the carriage of goods—
(a) for hire or reward, or
(b) for or in connection with any trade or business carried on by him, except under a licence issued under this Act; and in this Act such a licence is referred to as an “operator’s licence”. [ F4 (1A) Subsection (1) applies in spite of Article 1.4(c) of the 2009 Regulation (exemption for slow vehicles unless otherwise provided in national law).
(1B) Subsection (1)(a) does not apply to the use of a small goods vehicle falling within paragraph 1A [ F5 or 1B ] of Schedule 1.
(1C) Subsection (1)(b) does not apply to the use of a small goods vehicle falling within any of paragraphs 2, 3 or 4 of Schedule 1. ]
(2) Subsection (1) does not apply to— F6 (a) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F7 (b) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
(c) the use of a goods vehicle for international carriage by a haulier established in Northern Ireland and not established in Great Britain; or
(d) the use of a vehicle of any class specified in regulations. [ F8 (2A) A class of vehicles that may be specified in regulations under subsection (2)(d) includes goods vehicles used for international carriage by a haulier established in a member State. ] [ F9 (3) In subsection [ F10 (2)(c) and (2A) ] , “established”, “haulier” and “international carriage” have the same meaning as in Regulation (EC) No 1072/2009 on common rules for access to the international road haulage market. ]
(4) It is hereby declared that, for the purposes of this Act, the performance by a local or public authority of their functions constitutes the carrying on of a business.
(5) A person who uses a vehicle in contravention of this section is guilty of an offence and liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding [ F11 level 5 ] on the standard scale. Textual Amendments F3 Words in s. 2(1) substituted (19.7.2018) by Haulage Permits and Trailer Registration Act 2018 (c. 19) , ss. 11(2) , 27(1) F4 S. 2(1A)-(1C) inserted (4.12.2011) by The Road Transport Operator Regulations 2011 (S.I. 2011/2632) , reg. 1(1) , Sch. 2 para. 2(2) (with Sch. 3 Pt. 2 ) F5 Words in s. 2(1B) inserted (20.5.2022 at 11.00 p.m.) by The Goods Vehicles (Licensing of Operators) (Amendment) Regulations 2022 (S.I. 2022/293) , regs. 2(2) , 24 F6 S. 2(2)(a) omitted (4.12.2011) by virtue of The Road Transport Operator Regulations 2011 (S.I. 2011/2632) , reg. 1(1) , Sch. 2 para. 2(3) (with Sch. 3 Pt. 2 ) F7 S. 2(2)(b) omitted (31.12.2020) by virtue of The Licensing of Operators and International Road Haulage (Amendment etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/708) , regs. 1(1) , 2(2)(a) ; 2020 c. 1 , Sch. 5 para. 1(1) F8 S. 2(2A) inserted (31.12.2020) by The Licensing of Operators and International Road Haulage (Amendment etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/708) , regs. 1(1) , 2(2)(b) ; 2020 c. 1 , Sch. 5 para. 1(1) F9 S. 2(3) substituted (4.12.2011) by The Road Transport Operator Regulations 2011 (S.I. 2011/2632) , reg. 1(1) , Sch. 2 para. 2(4) (with Sch. 3 Pt. 2 ) F10 Words in s. 2(3) substituted (31.12.2020) by The Licensing of Operators and International Road Haulage (Amendment etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/708) , regs. 1(1) , 2(2)(c) ; 2020 c. 1 , Sch. 5 para. 1(1) F11 Words in s. 2(5) substituted (1.2.2001) by 2000 c. 38 , s. 261(1) (with s. 261(2) ); S.I. 2001/57 , art. 3(1) , Sch. 2 Pt. I Modifications etc. (not altering text) C6 S. 2 modified by S.I. 1996/2186 , regs. 30L(4) , 30M(4) , 30N(4) , Sch. 5A (as inserted (23.4.2019) by The Goods Vehicles (Licensing of Operators) (Temporary Use in Great Britain) (Amendment) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/670) , regs. 1 , 2(8) ) C7 S. 2(1) applied with modifications (26.9.1996) by S.I. 1996/2186 , reg. 9(4)(5) , 12(5)(6) , 15(4) , 21(3) , 22(2) , 26(5) , 28(4) , 29(3) , 30(4) , Sch. 4 , Sch. 5 C8 S. 2(1) excluded (26.9.1996) by S.I. 1996/2186 , regs. 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9(2)(3) , 10 , 11 , 12(2)-(4) , 13 , 14 , 15(3) , 16 , 17 , 20 , 22(1) , 23 , 24 , 25 , 26(2)-(4) , 27 , 28(2)(3) , 29(2) , 30(3) (as amended (19.3.2004) by Goods Vehicles (Licensing of Operators) (Temporary Use in Great Britain) (Amendment) Regulations 2004 (S.I. 2004/462) ) S. 2(1) excluded (on or after the “relevant date” as defined in reg. 15(1) of the amending S.I.) by S.I. 1996/2186 , regs. 15(1)(2) , 18(2) , 19(2) , 21(2) , 30(2) C9 S. 2(1) modified by S.I. 1996/2186 , reg. 30F(3) (as inserted (26.5.2017) by The Goods Vehicles (Licensing of Operators) (Temporary Use in Great Britain) (Amendment) Regulations 2017 (S.I. 2017/577) , regs. 1 , 2(4) ) C10 S. 2(1) excluded by S.I. 1996/2186 , reg. 30F(2) (as inserted (26.5.2017) by The Goods Vehicles (Licensing of Operators) (Temporary Use in Great Britain) (Amendment) Regulations 2017 (S.I. 2017/577) , regs. 1 , 2(4) ) C11 S. 2(1) excluded by S.I. 1996/2186 , regs. 30G-30N (as inserted (23.4.2019) by The Goods Vehicles (Licensing of Operators) (Temporary Use in Great Britain) (Amendment) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/670) , regs. 1 , 2(6) ) C12 S. 2(1) excluded by S.I. 1996/2186 , reg. 30F(2) (as substituted (23.4.2019) by The Goods Vehicles (Licensing of Operators) (Temporary Use in Great Britain) (Amendment) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/670) , regs. 1 , 2(5)(a) ) C13 S. 2(1) excluded by S.I. 1996/2186 , reg. 7(3) (as inserted (28.10.2021) by The Goods Vehicles (Licensing of Operators) (Temporary Use in Great Britain) (Amendment) Regulations 2021 (S.I. 2021/1187) , regs. 1(1) , 3(b) ) Schedule 1A (which relates to the detention, removal and disposal of goods vehicles in respect of which it appears that section 2 is contravened) shall have effect. ] Textual Amendments F12 S. 2A inserted (1.2.2001) by 2000 c. 38 , s. 262(1) ; S.I. 2001/57 , art. 3(1) , Sch. 2 Pt. I
(1) Subsection (2) applies if it appears to a stopping officer that a vehicle is being used in circumstances such that an operator’s licence could be required.
(2) The officer may direct the driver to stop the vehicle for the purpose of enabling checks to be carried out to establish whether the use of the vehicle is in contravention of section 2(1).
(3) In this section “stopping officer” means an officer appointed under section 66B of the Road Traffic Act 1988. ] Textual Amendments F13 S. 2B inserted (30.3.2011) by The Road Vehicles (Powers to Stop) Regulations 2011 (S.I. 2011/996) , regs. 1 , 6(2)
