Traffic Commissioners (TCs) will consider the use of a video link for Public Inquiry (PI) attendees who have recently arrived in the UK from a country that is not subject to an exemption from the 14-day quarantine rule, the Office of the Traffic Commissioner (OTC) has said.
It comes as the OTC revealed that there have been “several worrying incidents” since in-person PIs were reintroduced. In those cases, attendees have arrived at the hearing “almost immediately” after flying back to the UK.
“This puts everyone’s health at risk and undermines the strict rules government has put in place,” says OTC in a statement.
“If you are due to attend a hearing within 14 days of returning to the UK, it is vital that you check whether your travel destination is exempt from the quarantine rules. The safety of our attendees, staff and TCs remains the main consideration when holding in-person hearings. Our staff have completed thorough risk assessments and have put measures in place to protect the health of all concerned.”
Any Public Inquiry attendee who cannot be present at a hearing in-person should let OTC staff know as soon as possible in order that the video link options can be considered.
TCs recommenced in-person tribunal hearings, including PIs, on 6 July in England, on 4 August in Scotland and on 6 August in Wales.