Off-Road Vehicles (Registration) Bill (HC Bill 140)

1 Amendment of the Vehicle Excise and Registration Act 1994

(1) The Vehicle Excise and Registration Act 1994 (c.22)1994 (c.22) is amended as follows.

(2) After section 21 insert—

“21A Registration of off-road bikes

(1) 5This section applies to motorcycles and motor quadbikes (“off-road
bikes“) for which there is no duty to take out a vehicle licence under
section 1 of this Act by reason of their being exclusively designed to be
used and kept off the public highway and pavements.

(2) The Secretary of State shall establish, within 12 months of the passing
10of this Act, and maintain a register of off-road bikes and their keepers
(“the register“), to be administered by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing
Agency.

(3) An off-road bike must be entered in the register by any person, who
keeps or owns an off-road bike, if the off-road bike is previously
15unregistered.

(4) A person who purchases an off-road bike must register it under sub-
section (3) within 14 days of purchase.

(5) It is the duty of the keeper and owner of an off-road bike to keep its
registration and the details thereof up to date.

(6) 20The Secretary of State shall ensure that the registration of an off-road
bike includes the manufacturers’ exclusive identification markings
present on the bike

(7) If the Secretary of State is satisfied that the manufacturer‘s exclusive
identification markings on any off-road bike have been deliberately
erased or altered so as to prevent knowledge of the true identity of the
off-road bike, the Secretary of State shall not register the off-road bike,
5or if it has been registered, shall cancel its registration.

(8) The registered keeper of an off-road bike is by virtue of this Act
presumed to be its owner unless proven otherwise by a person
asserting ownership.

(9) The Secretary of State shall prescribe regulations for the permissible
10time scales for the registration of off-road bikes.

(10) Sections 30 and 31 of this Act shall not apply to off-road bikes.

(11) A person who contravenes subsection (3), (4) or (5) shall be guilty of an
offence.

(12) A person convicted of an offence under this Act shall be liable on
15summary conviction to a fine not exceeding Level 3 on the Standard
Scale.

(13) In section 62 (other definitions) after the definition of “motor dealer”
insert—

• “motor quadbike” means a four wheeled motor scooter and
  20includes a quadbike to which a trailer a trailer is attached.””

2 Amendment of the Police Reform Act 2002

(1) The Police Reform Act 2002 (c.30)2002 (c.30) is amended as follows.

(2) In section 59, after subsection (1) insert—

“(1A) Where a constable in uniform has reasonable grounds for believing that
25an off-road bike within the meaning of section 21A of the Vehicle Excise
and Registration Act 1994—

(a) is unregistered, or

(b) has had its manufacturer‘s exclusive identification markings
deliberately erased or altered so as to prevent knowledge of its
30true identity,

he shall have the powers set out in subsection (3) of this Act.

(1B) Subsections 59(4) and (5) of this Act do not apply to seizure of an off-
road bike pursuant to section 59(1A).”

3 Expenses

35There shall be paid out of money provided by Parliament—

(a) any sums to be paid by the Secretary of State for or in connection with the
carrying out of his functions under this Act; and

(b) any increase attributable to this Act in the sums which are payable out of
money so provided under any other Act.

4 40Extent

This Act extends to England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

5 Short Title

This Act may be cited as the Off-Road Vehicles (Registration) Bill 2015.