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FUTURE LEGISLATION
Page 40
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DVLA fee proposals: The DVLA is considering revising fee structures to cover the costs of changes, including the 10-yearly renewal of photocard licences, the removal of the paper counterpart and the redevelopment of vehicle systems and processes.
Operator licensing: Proposals are expected to change the way the traffic areas are structured; to remove the 28-day period of grace to use vehicles on the margin; and to change the way fees are structured and collected.
Euro-4/5 emissions standards: New vehicles will be required to meet these standards, which further reduce permitted vehicle emissions. Euro-4 will apply to vehicles first used on or after 1 October 2006, and Euro-5 to vehicles first used on or after 1 October 2()09.
Driver training: The EU Driver Training Directive requires both initial and periodic training of professional goods and passenger vehicle drivers,
The training covers fuel economy, drivers' hours and customer service; the qualification is referred to as a Certificate of Professional Competence. Member states must lay down laws for its introduction no later than 10 September 2006, with initial training starting by September 2009 (CM 27 October).
Road Safety Rill: This includes the introduction of: graduated fixed penalties for speeding; fixed penalties and a deposit scheme for offences such as overloading; tougher penalties for using a hand-held mobile phone while driving; new powers to seize and dispose of uninsured vehicles; new penalties to deal with dangerous and had drivers; the piloting of motorway rest areas; better enforcement of drivers' hours rules: and a new offence of being the registered keeper of' an uninsured vehicle.
Third Driver Licence Directive: The EC is discussing revisions to European law as follows: generalising the photocard licence and allowing the introduction of a microchip;
introducing a limited administrative validity for driving licences; harmonising the frequency of medical checks; ending driver 'licence tourism' by introducing a pan-European application process; introducing progressive access to the most powerful motorcycles. trucks and buses; removing the flexibility of towing larger trailers on a car licence; and introducing minimum requirements for the initial qualification and training of driving examiners (CM 14 July).
Digital tachographs: Legislation to change the date for the introduction of digital tachographs could be published as early as March 2006. The requirement to at digitachs to new vehicles will he introduced 20 days after publication.
Red diesel: HM Revenue and Customs is expected to announce changes to the list of vehicles entitled to use rebated fuel in the 2006 Budget. Customs plans to remove the road construction vehicle category and require vehicles that are not used on the public road to comply with the Statutory Off Road Notification (SORN) rules.
Between now and the Budget, Customs will also be consulting further on the definitions of tractors, agricultural engines and mobile cranes. All other exempted vehicle categories will remain unchanged.
Corporate manslaughter: The government has issued a bill creating a new offence holding organisations to account for any gross failings by their senior management that have had fatal consequences. As a corporate offence it will not apply to individual directors or others.
However, proceedings for manslaughter, or under health and safety law, will continue to be possible against individuals.
Highways Agency powers: Legislation is expected during 2006 to allow Highways Agency traffic officers to remove or arrange removal of abandoned or broken-down vehicles from motorways and trunk roads in England, providing them with similar powers to those of the police.
EU Drivers' hours: Publication of legislation that will amend rules on daily and weekly rest, exemptions and breaks from driving is expected in spring 2006. The changes will come into effect 12 months after publication, in spring 2007.