B+E driving licences…

[TonyEmm]

Grant Shapps at his best!

A statutory instrument was laid on 16 September 2021 titled the Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2021 (the ‘No. 2 Regulations’) and was due to come into force on 15 November 2021. The substantive legislative changes proposed in the No. 2 Regulations would have removed the need for a person to pass the ‘B+E’ car and trailer test before they could pull a heavy trailer behind their car. This would have meant people with licences awarded after 1997 also no longer needed to pass a separate test to tow a heavy trailer.
This statutory instrument was not approved in time for the No. 2 Regulations to come into force on 15 November 2021. Since such affirmative statutory instruments cannot be amended once laid in draft, we have taken action to lay the regulations afresh as the draft Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) (Amendment) (No. 5) Regulations 2021 (the ‘No. 5 Regulations’).
To make rapid progress on this, we are seeking to make use of the urgency procedure under paragraph 14(6) of schedule 8 to the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018. I am of the opinion that, by reason of urgency, the requirements for this affirmative statutory instrument (by virtue of paragraph 13(1) of schedule 8 to the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018) to be made after being published in draft for 28 days, together with a scrutiny statement, should not apply.
Forgoing the 28-day publication period will allow earlier laying of the No. 5 Regulations than would have otherwise been possible and strengthen the steps we have already taken to increase HGV testing capacity and ease supply chain issues as quickly as possible. Arrangements will be in place to ensure that the changes made by the No. 5 Regulations are operationally effective as soon as they come into force.
Published 23 November 2021

Draft legislation: The Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) (Amendment) (No. 5) Regulations 2021

A new draft statutory instrument, meaning that car drivers will not need to take another test to tow a trailer or caravan, is being laid in Parliament.

www.gov.uk

 

[Jamesh]

I'm getting some popcorn in a good 3.5t of it....!!

 

[DuxDeluxe]

Simple serpents - the blob - working at their normal counterproductive pace

 

[wiljoy]

I'm getting some popcorn in a good 3.5t of it....!!

I'll join you if you need company.

 

[The Dotties]

I'll join you if you need company.

You’ll need a big trailer. Have you got the necessary licence?

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[bobandjanie]

I personally can't understand why they started altering the rules, I have only taken 3 tests, a provisional licence was up to 250cc motorcycle pass the test ride anything, take a car test drive anything and tow trailers/ caravan and a 7.5t lorry. take your class 1 hgv drive anything.

Simple wasn't it, I can't understand people that had those rights, think in those days they were better drivers, experience makes you a better driver, when I passed my hgv 1 my instructor said well done you have done the easy bit. Bob.

 

[Jamesh]

Yeap it was eu who brought in extra rules.

I used to legally tow a 1300kg caravan with a 1600kg Volvo V70 which was at best a dodgy set up in any sort of wind....

All along we had a XC90 on the drive which we couldn't tow with..... I even have an old pic of a ford focus towing the van with the xc90 coming along for the ride with the kids on board!

Madness!!!

Cheers James

 

[Colino]

I personally can't understand why they started altering the rules, I have only taken 3 tests, a provisional licence was up to 250cc motorcycle pass the test ride anything, take a car test drive anything and tow trailers/ caravan and a 7.5t lorry. take your class 1 hgv drive anything.

Simple wasn't it, I can't understand people that had those rights, think in those days they were better drivers, experience makes you a better driver, when I passed my hgv 1 my instructor said well done you have done the easy bit. Bob.

The trouble is, in those days there was less traffic and so easier to build up ones experience. These days the newbies have to hit the ground running. The so called more experienced drivers don't give them the luxury of learning along the way. They're expected to know everything from the off.

 

[bobandjanie]

The trouble is, in those days there was less traffic and so easier to build up ones experience. These days the newbies have to hit the ground running. The so called more experienced drivers don't give them the luxury of learning along the way. They're expected to know everything from the off.

Depending on where you lived, when I was 19 my job was driving a small lorry round London doing deliveries to 50 shops, you could say people should take a test to drive a lefthand drive vehicle or drive abroad, because they haven't got the experience, you only get that by doing it. Bob

 

[Colino]

Depending on where you lived, when I was 19 my job was driving a small lorry round London doing deliveries to 50 shops, you could say people should take a test to drive a lefthand drive vehicle or drive abroad, because they haven't got the experience, you only get that by doing it. Bob

I'm not saying you don't get the experience by doing it, I'm saying its easier to build up the experience if there's less traffic on the roads as was in the early days. Today everyone's in a rush and the roads are overcrowded. Not a good experience building environment. Even London in the early days had less traffic than now. Also drivers were more patient with each other.

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[barsteward]

The trouble is, in those days there was less traffic and so easier to build up ones experience. These days the newbies have to hit the ground running. The so called more experienced drivers don't give them the luxury of learning along the way. They're expected to know everything from the off.

I'd like to think that now I'm elderly I am more tolerant and patient with the hindsight that experience has brought me.

 

[bobandjanie]

Have to disagree, congestion has always been there, Janie went mad I was driving a truck based in Edmonton delivering in and out of the city all day long, the stress of traffic and parking tickets got the better of me, but the money was more than double what I could earn in Hertfordshire. Bob.

 

[Silver-Fox]

The trouble is, in those days there was less traffic and so easier to build up ones experience. These days the newbies have to hit the ground running. The so called more experienced drivers don't give them the luxury of learning along the way. They're expected to know everything from the off.

I agree there was less traffic but also think the test has got easier.

They seem to be making it easier by the year as well

 

[Colino]

I agree there was less traffic but also think the test has got easier.

They seem to be making it easier by the year as well

I'm not so sure about that. In the old days it was just the test with a couple of questions tagged on the end. These days you have the theory, hazard awareness and the practical.

 

[Silver-Fox]

I'm not so sure about that. In the old days it was just the test with a couple of questions tagged on the end. These days you have the theory, hazard awareness and the practical.

I’m just talking about the practical.

The theory is a doddle as you should know the Highway Code pre test and it’s multiple choice.

Hazard awareness is a bit more tricky if you are under or over cautious.

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[Colino]

I’m just talking about the practical.

The theory is a doddle as you should know the Highway Code pre test and it’s multiple choice.

Hazard awareness is a bit more tricky if you are under or over cautious.

It might be a doddle for you but if you're just learning then maybe not so much.

 

[bobandjanie]

This is what you do in Spain to exchange your UK licence for a Spanish one. Bob

 

[Silver-Fox]

It might be a doddle for you but if you're just learning then maybe not so much.

The theory tests are based on common sense, it is possible to work out the answer if you have no idea.

Having said that most of the youngsters have been used to “swotting up” for exams.

I’m not saying they give a license away with corn flakes but do think it’s been devalued.

 

[monzer]

Towing. How hard can it be?

 

[TonyEmm]

Towing. How hard can it be?

Depends on your mindset…. Some folk can’t drive without a trailer on….

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[cruiser]

some laws are iust plain stupid . My son has a psv . He drives double decker buses . and large coaches. but can not drive a 7.5 ton motorhome. Where is the sense in that.

 

[The Dotties]

I agree there was less traffic but also think the test has got easier.

They seem to be making it easier by the year as well

It's called dumbing down, like a lot of things today.

 

[ElliesBoss]

Boris was saying on PMQ today it was to get HGV applications through quickly but the need for trailer licence is being kept under review.

 

[ChrisSue]

I've had a hire customer turn down a Ford Focus as it was "too big" compared to her Corsa. I was moaned at by her insurance company but pointed out to them that imo they should increase her premium as she was clearly unfit to be on the road. Off the record they agreed