6. Section 53 of the principal Act is amended —(a) | by inserting, immediately after subsection (1), the following subsection:“(1A) However, the Authority may direct that a vehicle that is forfeited by the Authority under section 51(3) and is the subject of a notice under subsection (1) be returned to a person if —(a) | before the end of the period of the notice in subsection (1), the Authority receives from that person a written objection to the intended sale, destruction or disposal of the vehicle and showing good cause why possession of the vehicle should be returned to the person; and | (b) | there is no reasonable cause for the Authority to believe that an offence under this Act has been committed and the vehicle was the subject matter, or was used in the commission, of the offence.”; |
|
|
| (b) | by inserting, immediately after subsection (3), the following subsection:“(3A) Despite subsection (3), where it appears to the Authority that any vehicle, article or thing which is moved to a holding yard under section 45 or 46 —(a) | is —(i) | a non‑compliant personal mobility device, non‑compliant bicycle, non‑compliant PAB or non‑compliant mobility vehicle; and | (ii) | of such a nature or in such condition that it would be dangerous for the Authority to retain custody, or its detention in a holding yard materially increases the likelihood of an outbreak of fire at the holding yard; |
| (b) | is a perishable article or thing that may rapidly depreciate in value; or | (c) | is an article or a thing of such a nature or in such condition that it would be dangerous for the Authority to retain custody of the article or thing, |
the Authority may, after giving one month’s notice in the Gazette of its intention to do so, cause the vehicle, article or thing to be — |
(d) | sold (by public auction or otherwise) at once; or | (e) | destroyed or otherwise disposed of at once in such manner as the Authority thinks fit.”; |
|
|
| (c) | by deleting the words “or (3)” in subsections (4) and (5) and substituting in each case the words “, (3) or (3A)”; and | (d) | by inserting, immediately after subsection (6), the following subsection:“(7) If —(a) | before the end of one year starting on the date a vehicle, an article or a thing was moved to a holding yard under section 45 or 46; but | (b) | after the vehicle, article or thing has been sold, destroyed or disposed of under subsection (3A), |
a person who appears, to the satisfaction of the Authority, to be the owner of the vehicle, article or thing claims that vehicle, article or thing, the Authority may pay the person, out of the funds of the Authority, the balance after deducting all reasonable costs and expenses incurred by the Authority in moving, storing and selling, destroying or disposing of the vehicle, article or thing (as the case may be) from the value of the vehicle, article or thing when it was moved to a holding yard.”. |
|
|
|
|