The Vehicle Drivers (Certificates of Professional Competence) (Amendment) Regulations 2015

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations amend the Vehicle Drivers (Certificates of Professional Competence) Regulations 2007 (the “2007 Regulations”). The 2007 Regulations impose a requirement on drivers of lorries, buses and coaches to obtain a qualification called a driver “Certificate of Professional Competence” (“CPC”), and undergo 35 hours of training every 5 years.

Regulation 3(2)(a) removes the definition of “the Driving Licences Directive”, as the directive referred to (the Second Driving Licences Directive) has been repealed.

Regulation 3(2)(b) inserts a definition of “prison service”.

Regulation 3(2)(c) updates the definition of “relevant vehicle” by replacing the reference to the repealed Driving Licences Directive with a reference to the Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) Regulations 1999 for Great Britain and to the Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1996 for Northern Ireland.

Regulation 3(3) updates the references to subcategories of vehicles by replacing the reference to the repealed Driving Licences Directive with a reference to the Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) Regulations 1999 for Great Britain and to the Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1996 for Northern Ireland.

Regulation 4(2) adds to the exemptions set out in regulation 3(2)(b) an exemption for any person driving a vehicle which is used by, or under the control of, the prison service.

Regulation 4(3) amends the exemption set out in regulation 3(3)(b) to extend the radius within which an empty vehicle can be driven from the driver’s base without the driver having to obtain a CPC. The radius is extended from 50 kilometres to 100 kilometres.

Regulation 5 removes the requirement for persons undertaking their practical CPC test in a category C (lorry), or C+E (lorry and trailer), vehicle for it to have eight or more forward gear ratios.

A full impact assessment has not been produced for this instrument as no, or no significant, impact on the private, voluntary or public sectors is foreseen. An Explanatory Memorandum is published alongside the instrument on www.legislation.gov.uk.