Motorists are being advised to be aware of six new driving laws and road changes that are coming into effect this month.
This February drivers will be impacted by the changes which will have an impact on everything from licenses to parking.
RAC senior policy officer Rod Dennis spoke about how new laws will impact drivers. He said: “The fact that the private parking industry is already having to review its own code, just months after it was introduced, shows it’s not working in drivers’ interests.
“This is yet another reason why the launch of the long-overdue official Private Parking Code of Practice, that became law five years ago, is very much needed. We fear that without this, drivers who use private car parks will continue to be worse off.”
Birmingham Live said drivers should be aware of these six differences.
Driving licences
The Labour Party government and Department for Transport has launched an open consultation to seek views on a proposal to extend the Ukraine driving licence exchange by an additional 18 months. If this plan is adopted, it would increase the time of use of a Ukrainian driving licence to 54 months after the holder becomes a resident.
It called for views on whether the Government should extend the Ukraine driving licence exchange scheme for an additional 18 months, beyond the current 36-month timeframe. Similar proposals were launched in 2023 and were quickly given the green light after 99 per cent backed an extension and 89 per cent said the extension should be for 36 months.
It called for views on whether the Government should extend the Ukraine driving licence exchange scheme for an additional 18 months, beyond the current 36-month timeframe. Similar proposals were launched in 2023 and were quickly given the green light after 99 per cent backed an extension and 89 per cent said the extension should be for 36 months.
Electric vehicles
Keir Starmer’s Labour government has decided to reverse the previous administration’s decision to extend the ban on the sale of petrol and diesel cars until 2035. This means no new ICE cars will be allowed to be sold in the UK after 2030 – a move that critics have described as “a step too far”.
Heidi Alexander, who recently replaced Louise Haigh as Transport Secretary, said in a statement that “the need to transition away from a reliance on fossil fuels has never been clearer, and the transition to zero-emission vehicles will play a critical role in quickly reducing carbon emissions and improving our energy security.”
The government has launched a consultation to “consider stakeholders’ preferences on technology choices and the types of vehicles permitted between 2030 and 2035 alongside ZEVs”.
Traffic fines
New rules will be introduced to improve safety on roads for all user. The consultation proposed adding 13 fixed penalty offences to schedule 3 of the Road Traffic Offender Act 1988 (RTOA 1988). These will be included in the National Driver Offender Retraining Scheme (NDORS) regulations listing fixed penalty offences that offer educational courses as an alternative to prosecution.
DVSA changes
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency has asked drivers and driving professionals to have their say on the new test booking system. There is still time to fill in the call for evidence of your thoughts on changes to the current rules and processes for booking a car driving test.
On February 11, the DVSA will conclude its consultation. It should take less than 15 minutes to fill in and closes at 11:59pm on 11 February 2025. So far more than 7,700 people have shared their views to help shape the future consultation on how booking a car driving test could be improved.
Pavement parking
Edinburgh has become the first city in Scotland to implement a ban on pavement parking – as of January 29 2024. Drivers who do mount the kerb and park will face a fine of £100 from the city council, which will be cut to £50 if paid within 14 days.
The local authorities were given the new powers following an update to the Transport (Scotland) Act 2019. As a result, parking on dropped kerbs and double parking are banned for all drivers, with the exception of delivery drivers.
Over 5,000 roads were analysed, and local residents were informed of the changes ahead of the starting date.
Parking
Drivers face a new window and timeframe to escape parking fines after private companies vowed to update their code of conduct. A grace period of five minutes for road users to pay for parking could be extended under new rules.
The British Parking Association (BPA) and the International Parking Community (IPC) have now announced a new panel to revise the code to ensure it “protects genuine motorists who have difficulty making prompt payment on entry”.
New rules will come into effect by February 2025. IPC chief executive Will Hurley said: “The creation of the panel shows the commitment the industry has to improving the reputation of our sector. We must not forget the valuable service we provide to ensure the vast majority of people can park when and where they need to.”
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