Q am a 51-year-old psv driver and
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would like to know whether I must automatically take a medical examination in order to retain my psv licence. understand from a report in CM that, under an Act passed in 1934, a driver must take a medical exam within a month of his 50th birthday Why is a regulation introduced so long ago only catching up with us now?
AYou are not automatically obliged to take
a medical examination under the PSV (Drivers' and Conductors' Licences) Regulations No. 1321/34, to which you refer. Section 5 of these regulations states that "No licence shall be granted unless the Commissioners are satisfied that the applicant is a fit person to be licensed and for that purpose they may require him to provide: (i) evidence that he fulfils the requirements of the Acts as to age: lii) evidence that he can read and write;
(iii) a certificate from his present r or last employer or a sufficient reason for failure to supply such a certificate:
(iv) a certificate of character signed by two householders or ratepayers who have known the applicant personally for the past three years: (v) in the case of an applicant for a licence to drive :— (a) evidence that he is acquainted with the provisions of the Highway Code: (b) a medical certificate that he is not suffering from any disease or physical disability likely to interfere with the efficient discharge of his duties as a driver or to cause the driving by him of a public service vehicle to be a source of danger to the public: and (c) facilities for a practical test of his ability to drive a public service vehicle or any specified type or types of such vehicles ..."
Most of the relevant parts of the above regulation are, of course, already in force, and the need to provide a Medical certificate has been a requirement in the Metropolitan traffic area where psv licences are issued by the Commissioner of Police.
The decision to extend the requirement of medical certificates to all traffic areas was made at a recent conference of Traffic Commissioners, following advice from the British Medical Association, and making use of the above regulations. The ages chosen-50, 56 and each renewal (once every three years) up to the age of 65, and then annually—were decided at the recent conference.