Driving law changes could see Britons slapped with £550 fine ahead of new vehicle rules
The RHA has supported the extended grace period
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Drivers, businesses and industry experts have praised new law changes that will see a six-month delay introduced to ensure motorists have enough time to make safety changes.
New Direct Vision Standard safety criteria is set to launch later this year which will require owners of lorries over 12 tonnes to obtain a safety permit before entering and operating in Greater London.
The new Transport for London rules dictate that lorries that meet the criteria will need to hold at least a three-star safety rating or fit the Progressive Safe System (PSS) by October 28, 2024.
Failure to adhere to the permit rules could see motorists slapped with a penalty charge notice of up to £550, although it will be reduced to £275 if paid within two weeks.
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The original enforcement date was the end of January
PAA grace period is currently in place for three months until January 31, 2025, to allow drivers to adjust to the new rules after fears that it would be difficult to adhere to the rules in such a short amount of time.
Following a meeting of the London Councils' Transport and Environment Committee, it was agreed that the grace period would be extended to six months, with a provisional enforcement date of May 4, 2025.
Richard Smith, managing director of the RHA, said that the industry had come together to support the measures to introduce a larger grace period.
He said the "short timescales" were a matter of concern for drivers who had to adapt to the major changes in a relatively short period of time.
Smith added: "Our most recent survey revealed that 57 per cent of respondents said they weren’t confident of being able to install compliant equipment in time.
“Now we’ve secured much-needed clarifications and a grace period extension the industry can now move forward to invest.
"Meanwhile, we are also clear that road safety is everybody’s responsibility where all road users play their full part."
Smith also maintained that the RHA would continue to work with the rest of the industry and key policymakers to recognise the importance of the new changes.
The RHA said it was awaiting confirmation on the details of the extension of the grace period, although it is expected that enforcement will begin on May 4, 2025.
The organisation surveyed more than 700 operators to better understand what drivers and hauliers wanted to see and what should be put forward to TfL.
To apply for the grace period, drivers will need to make an application for vehicles and provide evidence that they have installation works arranged to fit the PSS between October 28, 2024, and January 31, 2025.
The Transport for London website has yet to update to include the new details of the grace period, although this is expected to be done in the near future.
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The new enforcement date following the rule change is expected to be May 4, 2025
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A small number of vehicles are entitled to the HGV Safety Permit Scheme, although these generally tend to be specialist construction vehicles built for off-road use.
Transport for London also outlines that left-hand drive vehicles over 12 tonnes will still need to meet the DVS and HGV Safety Permit Scheme requirements, with mirrors, cameras and sensors being fitted appropriately to account for blind spots.