Too old over 65
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TRAFFIC Commissioners will in future have to retire at 65, rather than at 70, the Government has agreed.
Junior Transport Minister David Mitchell accepted an amendment to the Transport Bill last week put forward by Tory backbencher David MacLean, although it had backing from all sides of the Bill's standing committee.
Mr MacLean pointed out that unlike judges and other people appointed in a quasi-judicial capacity, much of their work was administrative and not judicial.
While there were plenty of people who were capable and able to be Traffic Commissioners, they should retire at 65.
However, Mr MacLean left a loophole which would allow Commissioners half-way through a case on their 65th birthday to continue it until it was finished.
Mr Mitchell, accepting the spirit of the amendment, said transitional arrangements would have to be made to allow for the position of existing chairmen who were over 65, but under 70.
The amendment was the first one accepted by the Government after more than 40 hours of debate, in which the principal clause deregulating bus services was eventually approved without any changes.