The seven-member Road Traffic Appeal Tribunal that will adjudicate matters related to traffic breaches under the new Road Traffic Act will come into existence on Wednesday, February 1, the same day the new act and its regulations take effect.

The tribunal will afford aggrieved motorists an avenue to appeal decisions of the Island Traffic Authority (ITA).

“The members of the tribunal have been identified and approval granted for their appointment,” said Audley Shaw, the Minister of Transport during a statement in the House of Representatives on Tuesday.

Shaw also said that motor vehicle owners and holders of drivers’ licences will have an obligation to provide updated contact information to the ITA.

“In addition to the physical address, email address and telephone number will be required so that contact can be made readily in the event that a notice is to be served on the person for any reason under the Act. Notices may be traffic tickets, notices of suspension, or directives to bring vehicles in for inspection,” Shaw outlined.

Meanwhile, Shaw said that with regard to the expungement of demerit points, all persons who were assigned such points on their drivers’ licence prior to February 1, 2023, “will have their points expunged to begin the new enforcement regime with a clean slate”.

“Persons who have not cleared their matters prior, will still be required to attend court and address the tickets that are outstanding,” he said.

Meanwhile, Shaw stressed that there will now be increased penalties for traffic offences, as well as additional offences arising from the provisions in the new Act.

Of note is that motorcycle drivers are limited to carrying one passenger and driving on one wheel, “what we call ‘wheelie’ is prohibited and all motorcycles must be sold with a helmet,” he said.

Additionally, a motorcycle learner must be accompanied by a licenced driver on another motorcycle within six metres and must not carry a pillion at any time or operate for commercial purposes.