Driving law changes you may have missed in August - DVLA licence updates, new Ulez rules and more

To help drivers deal with the countless motoring changes, GB News has rounded up the most important new rules you need to be aware of.

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Ulez scrappage scheme

On August 16, Transport for London announced that it would be winding down the popular scrappage scheme that helped to remove petrol and diesel cars from London's roads to meet Ultra Low Emission Zone standards.

It was revealed that TfL had already committed more than £186million so far, supporting almost 54,000 drivers to switch to cleaner vehicles that adhere to the Ulez emissions standards.

The scheme first launched in January 2023 and was expanded to all Londoners last August to ensure that everyone with a non-compliant vehicle can access zero emission vehicles.

However, the deadline for new applicants is now expected to end on September 7, although grace periods for community transport and disabled Londoners will remain open until October 2027.

TfL stated that application volumes are "now considerably lower" after 18 months of operation, prompting the decision to wind the scheme down.

Commenting on the decision, Sadiq Khan said: "I am proud that the scrappage scheme - the biggest in the UK - has supported so many Londoners to switch to cleaner, greener vehicles. Ulez compliance has now reached more than 96 per cent, bringing cleaner air to millions of Londoners."

The London Mayor also clarified that additional funding will be in place to ensure any vehicles pledged to Ukraine through the scheme would make it to their destination with extra help from the British-Ukrainian Aid charity.

Medical driving licences

The DVLA updated guidance earlier this month to ensure motorists know the rules regarding whether they should stay on the road or need to inform the motoring agency about any changes to their health.

The updates clarified the description of cerebral amyloid angiopathy-related transient focal neurological episodes and outlined the definition and standard of non-aneurysmal (including perimesencephalic) subarachnoid haemorrhage.

Changes are often made to the medical guidance to ensure motorists are as safe as they can be, with the new guidance instructing that drivers may need to take at least six months away from the road, depending on their condition.

20mph speed limits

Transport Secretary Louise Haigh said she would support the implementation of 20mph speed limits and Low Traffic Neighbourhoods as a community option, rather than being dictated by the Government.

It comes as councils across the UK decide to bring in traffic calming measures to improve road safety, as has been seen in Wales with its national policy.

Leicester City Council is the newest local authority to bring in new rules on several residential streets, which is estimated to impact more than 17,000 drivers.

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2030 car ban

Labour reaffirmed its pledge to ban the sale of new petrol and diesel cars and vans from 2030, bringing the deadline to its original target date after former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak rolled back several net zero pledges last September.

A Government spokesperson told GB News: “We’re committed to delivering greener transport by supporting the transition to electric vehicles.

“We will provide certainty to manufacturers by restoring the 2030 phase-out date for new petrol and diesel cars, and are committed to accelerating the rollout of electric vehicle charging infrastructure. We will set out further details due course.”