Goods Vehicles (Licensing of Operators) Act 1995

Powers of entry and inspection

3(1)An officer may require any person to produce and permit him to inspect and copy—

(a)any document which is required by or under paragraph 2 to be carried by that person as driver of a vehicle; or

(b)any document which that person is required by or under that paragraph to preserve;

and that document shall, if the officer so requires by notice in writing served on that person, be produced at the office of the traffic commissioner specified in the notice within such time (not being less than 10 days) from the service of the notice as may be so specified.

(2)An officer may at any time enter any large goods vehicle and inspect that vehicle and any goods carried on it.

(3)Where an officer has reason to believe—

(a)that a large goods vehicle is being kept on any premises, or

(b)that any such documents as are mentioned in sub-paragraph (1) are to be found on any premises,

he may, at any time which is reasonable having regard to the circumstances of the case, enter those premises and inspect any such vehicle, and inspect and copy any such document, which he finds there.

(4)For the purpose of exercising his powers under sub-paragraph (1)(a) or (2), an officer may detain the vehicle in question during such time as is required for the exercise of that power.

(5)The powers conferred by sub-paragraphs (1) to (4) are exercisable on production by the officer, if so required, of his authority.

(6)Any person who—

(a)fails to comply with any requirement under sub-paragraph (1), or

(b)obstructs any officer in the exercise of his powers under sub-paragraph (2), (3) or (4),

is guilty of an offence and liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 3 on the standard scale.

(7)In this paragraph “officer” has meaning given in section 42(1) (as amended by paragraph 5 below).

(8)The powers conferred by this paragraph on an officer shall be exercisable also by a police constable who shall not, if wearing uniform, be required to produce any authority.