L ANA/V CM has teamed up with Neil Johnson from
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the Freight Transport Association's legal department to highlight laws in the pipeline. He is unable to take telephone calls at CM's offices but written enquiries will be passed on.
RECENT AND IMMINENT LEGISLATION
The Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) -r?,,gulations 1996. CIF 2 December 1996 and 1 April 1997. Implements the Second Driver Licensing Directive in the UK, introducing staged testing, theory testing for LGV/PCV candidates, new test-vehicle standards and eyesight/medical standards. Also requires drivers of mobile cranes to have a vocational licence if appropriate and drivers of chassis-cabs to have a Category B licence. It also limits drivers passing Category B tests to 3.5tonne GVVV vehicles.
The Rood Vehicles (Construction and Use) (Amendment) (No6) Regulations 1996. CIF 1 July 1997. Provides exemptions from a number of C&U regulations for vehicles with a Ministry-approved certificate.
The Motor Veh ides (Type Approval) (Great Britain) (Amendment) (No2) Regulations 1996. CIF 1 July 1997. Extends Type Approval regulations to include motor ambulances, motor caravans, personally imported passenger vehicles and amateur-built passenger vehicles.
The Motor Vehicles (Type Approval for Goods Vehicles) (Great Britain) (Amendment) (No2) Regulations 1996 CIF 1 July 1997. Amends the Type Approval regulations to establish a scheme to approve the construction of single light vehicles before they are brought into service.
The Road Vehicles Lighting (Amendment) Regulations 1996, CIF 1 July 1997. Amends the lighting regulations for passenger vehicles subject to a Ministryapproved certificate.
The Road Traffic (New Drivers) Act 1995 (Commencement) Order 1997. CIF 1 June. Returns new drivers to learner status if they tot up six or more penalty points within two years of passing their tests.
The Vehicle Excise Duty (Immobilisation, Removal and Disposal of Vehicles) (Amendment) Regulations 1997. CIF 1 April 1997. Allows untaxed vehicles to be clamped and impounded.
The Road Vehicles (Registration and Licensing) (Amendment) Regulations 1997. CIF 24 March 1997. Introduces new procedures for notifying the DVLA of changes in o vehicle's owner by requiring the seller of the vehicle, as well as the buyer, to inform the DVLA, The Road Traffic Offenders (Additional Offences and Prescribed Devices) Order 1997. CIF 18 March 1997. Allows the use of bus lane cameras to detect offences relating to the abuse of bus lanes.
The Goods Vehicles (Plating and Testing) lArrendment) (No2) Regulations 1997. CIF 1 April 1997. Amends the Plating and Testing Regulations to exempt vehicles subject to a certificate of conformity or a Ministry approval certificate from having a first examination and extends the validity period of a test certificate.
The Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) (Amendme, ' Regulations 1997. CIF 1 October 1997. Require cab notices where the overall travelling height exceeds 3m and automatic warning devices from 1 April/1 October 1998 (dependent upon the age of the vehicle) when power operated high-level equipment is fitted.
The Road Vehicle (Construction and Use) (Amendment) (No 2) Regulations 1997. CIF 22 April 1997. Allows vehicles used on piggyback road/rail operations to operate at weights up to 44 tonnes.
The Motor Vehicles (Driving
Licences)(Amendments)(No2) Regulations 1997. CIF 1 April 1997. Allows several licence categories to be used as a provisional licence for the next category.
The New Drivers (Appeals Procedure) Regulations 1997. CIF 1 June 1997. Establishes the appeals procedure for new drivers banned under the six-points-intwo-years procedure.
FUTURE LEGISLATION
• Vehicle dimensions: Changes proposed to C&U regs to allow drawbars up to 18.75m overall length, enforcing EU Directive 96/53.
• 0-licensing and Plating and Testing Draft Regulations: Published regarding exemptions from 0-licensing, plating and testing.
• Access to the profession EC proposals to change the professional competence, financial standing and good repute requirements.
• Identification of 0-licensed vehicles Consultation undertaken by DOT on ways the identification of 0licensed vehicles could be improved. Options are enhanced identity discs or a national computerised database.
• VED incentives tor low-emission vehicles: DOT consulted following the Chancellor's Budget announcement of a concession of up to E500 per year from vehicle excise duty rates for lorries meeting stringent emission standards.
• Pollution prevention measures for oil and petrol storage: Proposed controls to ensure oil stores are located and built to prevent leakage to, and pollution of, the water environment and that handling arrangements are appropriate.
• Dangerous goods safety advisers: EC Directive requiring companies involved in the transport or loading/unloading of dangerous goods to appoint a safety adviser by 31 December 1999. Implementing legislation expected by mid-1998 to allow for training and examination of advisers.