(This note is not part of the Regulations)
These Regulations amend the Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) Regulations 1999 (“the 1999 Regulations”) to provide that if a person passes, or has passed, a driving test for a category B licence, that person is automatically entitled from the coming into force date of these Regulations to drive a vehicle combination of a class included in category B + E without having to take a separate category B + E test.
Regulation 3 amends regulation 7 of the 1999 Regulations to ensure that a vehicle combination of a class included in category B + E can, once the category B test has been passed, be driven.
Regulation 4 amends regulation 11 of the 1999 Regulations to remove the requirement for a category B full licence to be held before a person may apply for category B + E provisional licence, as it will no longer be possible to obtain a provisional category B + E licence.
Regulation 5 amends regulation 16 of the 1999 Regulations to remove the reference to B + E, as it will no longer be possible to obtain a provisional category B + E licence.
Regulation 6 amends regulation 19 of the 1999 Regulations to remove the entitlement to category B + E provisional licence when a person has passed the category B test, as it no longer serves a purpose to have such a provisional licence.
Regulation 7 amends Schedule 2 to the 1999 Regulations to add category B + E to the list of additional entitlements a person who passes, or has passed, a category B test will obtain.
Regulation 8 provides for the Secretary of State to undertake a review of the regulatory provisions contained in these Regulations firstly after three years, and then on a five yearly basis after that.
A full impact assessment of the effect that this instrument will have on the costs of business, the voluntary sector and the public sector is still being prepared because of the urgency with which these measures have been progressed. Once completed, a copy of the impact assessment will be available from the Department for Transport, Great Minster House, 33 Horseferry Road, London, SW1P 4DR and on www.legislation.gov.uk.
An Explanatory Memorandum is published alongside these Regulations on www.legislation.gov.uk.