The seven Traffic Commissioners are appointed by the Secretary of State for the Transport and have responsibility in their area for:

• The licensing of the operators of Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs) and of buses and coaches (Public Service Vehicles or PSVs)
• The registration of local bus services
• Granting vocational licences and taking action against drivers of HGVs and PSVs

The Traffic Commissioner for Scotland is also responsible for dealing with both appeals against decisions by Scottish local authorities on taxi fares, with appeals against charging and removing improperly parked vehicles in Edinburgh and Glasgow.

Commissioners are statutorily independent in their licensing functions. When necessary, they hold Public Inquiries, in particular to consider the environmental suitability of HGV operating centres and the possibility of disciplinary action against operators who have not observed the conditions of their licences.

The role of the Senior Traffic Commissioner is a statutory one whose responsibilities are set out in the Local Transport Act 2008. The first statutorily appointed Senior Traffic Commissioner, Philip Brown, retired on 24 October 2011 and Beverley Bell, the Traffic Commissioner for the North Western Traffic Area and Acting Traffic Commissioner for the North Eastern Area is currently the Acting Senior Traffic Commissioner and will fulfil the role until such time that a permanent post holder is recruited. Traffic Commissioners are assisted by Deputy Traffic Commissioners, who hold some of the public inquiries, driver conduct and impounding hearings.

• Senior Traffic Commissioner’s statutory guidance and statutory directions
• A guide to public inquiries
• Planning for the London Olympics and Paralympics Games
• Traffic Commissioners: roles and responsibilities
• Traffic Commissioners’ annual report 2009-10
• Traffic Commissioners’ publication scheme
• Senior Traffic Commissioner administrative policy guidance