The Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) Regulations 1996

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part okf the Regulations)

These Regulations consolidate with amendments the Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) Regulations 1987, the Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) (Large Goods and Passenger-Carrying Vehicles) Regulations 1990 and regulations amending those Regulations. The amendments have been made for the purpose of implementing Council Directive 91/439/EEC on Driving Licences (OJ No. L 237, 24.8.91, p. 1) and for general purposes. The principal changes made to the previous regulations (which are now revoked) are as follows:—

(a) the categories of vehicle for licensing and testing purposes have been brought into line with the categories specified in the Directive (regulations 4, 5, 6 and 36 and Schedule 2);

(b) eligibility to apply for a provisional licence for the categories of larger vehicle is staged and depends upon the possession of a licence to drive smaller vehicles (regulation 9);

(c) access to licences authorising the riding of larger motor cycles is staged and depends upon the possession of a licence to drive smaller motor cycles (regulations 7(2) and 41);

(d) a test pass in a category B vehicle (motor cars and small goods vehicles) does not automatically confer entitlement to drive medium-sized goods vehicles and small buses (categories C1 and D1), for which separate tests must now be passed (regulations 36 and 40 and Schedules 2, 7 and 8);

(e) driving tests for medium-sized and large goods and passenger-carrying vehicle drivers' licences are divided into two parts, a theory test and a practical test, and the content of the practical tests has been modified (regulation 36 and Schedules 7 and 8);

(f) the arrangements for tests for medium-sized and large goods and passenger-carrying vehicle drivers' licences are made similar to those already applying to a smaller vehicles and include, inter alia, a trainer booking facility (regulations 24, 26, 28 and 30);

(g) the specifications for vehicles which must be provided for tests have been modified (regulation 33) and photographic evidence of identity is required at tests (regulation 34(2) and (4) and Schedule 6);

(h) provision is made for compulsory basic training for motor cyclists to be undertaken on large bicycles with an engine power over 35 kilowatts (regulations 59 and 60);

(i) the medical standards required in respect of licences are modified (regulations 65 to 68) by—

(i) the creation of two groups, Group 1 including the smaller and slower vehicles and Group 2 including medium-sized and large goods vehicles and all passenger-carrying vehicles, and

(ii) the introduction of stricter eyesight standards for drivers of Group 2 vehicles.

Transitional provision is made for holders of licences with driving entitlements currently in force and for correspondences between the current vehicle categories and the new ones (see, in particular, regulations 5, 49 and 70).

Fees for driving tests and the grant of driving licences are not changed (regulations 12, 27 and 31 and Schedules 3 and 5) but the cost of obtaining licences to drive the larger categories of vehicle is increased in some cases as a result of the introduction of staging of entitlements mentioned above.

The Regulations come into force for the purposes of booking tests on 2nd December 1996, for the purposes of photographic identification at tests on 1st March 1997 and for all other purposes (except the reference to the Road Traffic (New Drivers) Act 1995) 1st January 1997.