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New Westminster powers granted to VOSA now give this government-based agency total authority to take illegal limousines and their operators off our busy roads. These powers came into effect on 1st October 2009 and are a follow-on from the Local Transport Act 2008, which came into effect on 1st October 2008.

VOSA now has the power to stop, seize and impound any stretch limousine that is found not to have UK road compliance. Certification needed for stretch limousines includes;

• 1. SVA (Single Vehicle Approval) - for eight passenger stretch limousines registered prior to 26th April 2009 or
• 2. IVA (Independent Vehicle Approval) - for eight passenger stretch limousines registered after 26th April 2009 and
• 3. C.O.I.F. (Certificate Of Initial Fitness) - for the larger (9 to 16 passenger) limousines

Limousine operators are also advised that they MUST hold a valid operator’s licence. This can be procured in one of two ways;

• 1. From the Department for Transport (“O” License) for running up to two 9 to 16 passenger vehicles, or a CPC (Certificate of Professional Competence) for three or more 9 to 16 passenger vehicles or,
• 2. Local Council operator’s license for stretch limousines of up to eight passenger capacity.

Please note:
Schedule 6, or “Dry Hire” operators, where the vehicle and chauffeur are hired separately to each other, now have to prove that their vehicles conform to Construction and Use regulations (effectively C.O.I.F.). According to the head of VOSA’s Traffic Enforcement Policy Department, Neal Barlow, “These methods of operation are not considered to be the right way to operate a stretch limousine business”. Anyone found operating under this umbrella to avoid licensing will face the full force of VOSA’s new powers and find it very challenging to have any impounded vehicle returned, as VOSA will insist that any vehicle impounded will need to meet Construction and Use regulations i.e., either have to be modified to achieve C.O.I.F., or already be in possession of a C.O.I.F. certificate for the vehicle concerned.

Particular attention will be paid to the larger or 4x4 type of limousines, whose operators are believed to have been flouting the law ever since the introduction of these vehicles back in the beginning of the 21st. century. Currently, if these types of vehicles are Hummers, Excursions or their equivalents, are less than a 200 inch stretch and carry between 9 and 16 passengers, generally speaking, they can be modified to C.O.I.F certification standards. Once modified and C.O.I.F. certified, the operator can then apply for an operator’s licence.

Even if the vehicle is constructed to carry no more than eight passengers, it still has to be certified to the new IVA standards or SVA, if it was registered prior to April 26th 2009. Unfortunately, this type of Hummer / 4x4 limousine will never achieve this certification as it currently stand, as no one has yet submitted those engineering reports required by VOSA to authorise testing. Owners of limousines such as the Yukon, Navigator, or any stretch over 200 inch really do need to re-think their position.