The Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) (Amendment)(No. 4) Regulations 2003

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations further amend the Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) Regulations 1999 (“the principal Regulations”). The amendments made are as follows.

Regulation 2 amends regulation 23 of the principal Regulations so as to enable a chief officer of a fire brigade to appoint a person to conduct theory tests for members or employees of any fire brigade (and not just of the fire brigade of the appointing chief officer as was the case immediately before the coming into force of these Regulations).

Regulation 3(2) amends regulation 24 of the principal Regulations (and makes consequential amendments to the principal Regulations) so as to enable a chief officer of a fire brigade to appoint a person to conduct practical and unitary tests for members or employees of any fire brigade (and not just of the fire brigade of the appointing chief officer as was the case immediately before the coming into force of these Regulations). Regulation 3(3) removes the provision under which persons appointed by certain approved companies (in practice only ever the Post Office) had been appointed to conduct practical and unitary tests.

Regulation 4 amends regulation 30 of the principal Regulations by increasing the fee payable by a theory test candidate from £18 to £20.50, an increase of 14% (to two significant figures).

Regulation 5 amends regulation 37 of the principal Regulations to provide that the vehicle to be driven by a person submitting himself for a test for a licence authorising the driving of category C, D, C+E, or D+E vehicles (large goods vehicles and passenger-carrying vehicles each with or without a trailer) must be fitted with an anti-lock braking system and a tachograph, and that vehicles in category C or C+E must have at least eight forward ratios. Regulation 5 also varies (on a category by category basis) the minimum specifications of, and imposes new requirements for, vehicles in which drivers will be tested in respect of their driving of vehicles of that category. Regulation 5 contains transitional provisions in respect of practical or unitary tests conducted in a vehicle which was first used on a road before the coming into force of the new minimum specifications and requirements for test vehicles.

Regulation 6 amends regulation 47 of the principal Regulations by increasing the fee payable by a person authorised to conduct theory tests for a theory test pass certificate from £7.50 to £10, an increase of 33% (to two significant figures).

Regulation 7 and the Schedule to these Regulations provide for the substitution of Schedule 8 to the principal Regulations and thereby alter the specified matters which may or will be tested in respect of tests for licences for vehicles in each of vehicle categories A, P, B, B+E, C, C+E, D, and D+E (and their respective sub-categories). The main change is the inclusion of requirements for a candidate to be able to demonstrate or describe safety checks on the vehicle in respect of which he is seeking a licence.

The new Schedule 8 to the principal Regulations also introduces a revised parking exercise (see Part 4, section C6) in respect of practical tests for passenger-carrying vehicles. Positional exercises (see Part 2, section G; Part 3, section F; and Part 4, section F) in respect of the uncoupling and re-coupling of tractor vehicles and trailers have also been added. In each of Parts 1 to 4, by virtue of amendments to the respective sections concerning behaviour in traffic, a test candidates is now required to demonstrate his ability to drive appropriately through a tunnel where the opportunity to do so arises.

A full regulatory impact assessment of the effect that this instrument will have on the costs of business is available from the Driving Standards Agency, Stanley House, Talbot Street, Nottingham, NG1 5GU.