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7th October 2007
Traffic Commissioner Sarah Bell sends a warning to LGV and PCV drivers over the use of mobile phones
The penalties for using a hand-held mobile telephone were increased in February of this year.
For car drivers, the maximum penalty is now £1,000 but for LGV and PCV drivers that maximum penalty rises to £2,500.
Where the police consider that the offence is not one which would warrant an appearance in court, they will sometimes offer a fixed penalty notice. If you accept this notice, you will receive 3 points on your licence and will have to pay a £60 penalty for the offence.
For LGV and PCV drivers, that will not automatically be the end of the matter. At a recent seminar in Bristol, Sarah Bell, the new Traffic Commissioner for the South Western Traffic Area, said that she would always consider a short term suspension of a vocational licence. This would normally involve the suspension of a PCV or LGV licence for up to 14 days. This could, in turn, have serious consequences for the driver as it is possible that they will find themselves out of work for at least that period and maybe even longer!
Miss Bell went on to say that she would also almost invariably call on the operator to explain their policy in relation to the use of mobile phones. So it may be timely for all operators to remind drivers of the dangers (and penalties) of using these devices whilst driving.