In March 2020, COVID-19 brought a temporary end to Public Inquires and Driver Conduct Hearings. These were resumed for a limited number of cases using an online video conferencing platform.
Last month, however, Public Inquiries and Driver Conduct hearings returned properly.
A number of things have changed however:
- The number of attendees is restricted, for instance to 5 in the North East Traffic Area.
- Evidence must be submitted in triplicate a week before the hearing.
- Evidence provided on the day may not be reviewed by the TC.
- Contact details of all attendees, including name, email address and mobile number must be provided in advance. Anyone not listed may be prevented from entering
- Maintenance records must be submitted in vehicle folders
- There is now no opportunity to meet with your solicitor in the building, as you will only be allowed entry 10 minutes before the hearing.
- No water will be provided – which could cause a problem for the nervous operator with a dry mouth.
Given the new changes to the submission of evidence, it is even more crucial to seek professional advice and the earlier you do that the better.