this is the Email i recieved from the coach company i am using
Traffic Commissioners Guidelines (Sporting Events)
Dear All,
Find listed below Coach Operators legal requirements in respect of Sporting Events you are expected to comply with all guidelines but particular note is made to point A. If any operator is found not to be in compliance with this point the case WILL be referred to the traffic commissioner, It is not our requirement to contact yourselves the requirement is for the coach operator to contact the Police. I appreciate some of you do comply with these directions however unfortunately a large percentage do not.
For some years the coach industry has complied with a voluntary code of
practice whereby operators taking passengers to a designated sporting event
meet certain guidelines set by the police. This has worked very well, and it has
seldom been necessary for a Traffic Commissioner to take any further action
against an operator who has contravened the guidelines. Nevertheless the police
in England and Wales are concerned that football hooliganism is again on the
increase, and have asked the Commissioners to remind PSV operators of the
guidelines. This has been done in conjunction with the Confederation of
Passenger Transport (CPT).
PSV operators are reminded of the terms of Section 1 (1) of the Sporting Events
(Control of Alcohol) Act 1985, as amended by the Public Order Act 1986, which
prohibits the carriage of alcohol on a PSV that is being used for the principal
purpose of carrying passengers for the whole or part of a journey to or from a
designated sporting event. A designated sporting event generally means any
association football match, whether national or international. The full legal
definition of designated sporting events may be found in The Sports Grounds and
Sporting Events (Designation Order) 1985, as amended by SI 1520/1987.
It is an offence for an operator of a PSV (or his servant or agent) knowingly to
cause or permit the carriage of alcohol on journeys to which these Regulations
apply.
In addition to these statutory provisions, the police have asked that operators
comply with the following guidelines when conveying passengers to such
sporting events:
a. Coach operators taking bookings from groups of supporters are to notify the
police liaison officer at the destination, at least 48 hours before the event, of the
number of supporters expected to travel and the number of coaches booked.
b. Coaches are not to stop within 10 miles of the venue either en route to or on
departure from the event unless prior agreement is obtained from the local
police liaison officer.
c. Unless directed otherwise by a police officer, coaches may stop at premises
where intoxicating liquor is sold only if it is sold ancillary to a substantial meal.
Prior agreement for meal stops where alcohol is available should be sought from
the operator’s local police liaison officer.
d. Coaches are to arrive at the venue no earlier than two hours before and not
later than one hour before the scheduled start of the game, unless otherwise
directed by police.
e. Coaches are not to set down or uplift passengers at any unauthorised
locations without prior permission of the police.
f. Coaches must leave the venue within one hour of the finish of the event.
g. Intoxicating liquor must not be carried on coaches travelling to or from
designated grounds.
Operators will draw hirer’s attention to the requirements of the law, and drivers
shall, as far as reasonably practical, supervise boarding passengers and check
that they are not obviously carrying intoxicating alcohol. Drivers will not be
expected to carry out baggage or body searches, nor will they be expected to
confiscate alcohol or to remove passengers without police assistance.
Operators are asked to comply with these guidelines on a voluntary basis.
However if the police inform the Traffic Commissioner of any failure on an
operators part to comply with them the Commissioner will consider applying
them as a formal condition to that operators licence under the authority of
Section 16(3) of the Public Passenger Vehicles Act 1981
