FUTURE LEGISLATION
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UK • Driver licensing: New measures including staged testing; a limit on car licence holders of 3.5 tonnes gross; theory part of driving test and photocard driving licences. First consultation completed-draft regulations awaited. Changes due 1 July 1996. Current licence holders will retain all current entitlement except new higher eyesight standards for LGV and PCV drivers, which may be retrospective.
• London lorry ban: DOT has appointed consultants to study costs/benefits of abolishing the permit scheme-enabling legislation in the Deregulation and Contracting Out Act 1994. There are no plans to abolish the ban itself.
• Special waste regulations: New UK Regulations on the transport of Special Waste to implement the EU Hazardous Waste Directive. Likely implementation, January 1996.
• Weights & dimensions: Proposals to increase weight limit of two-axle rigids from 17 tonnes to 18 tonnes and to increase width limit of nonrefrigerated vehicles to 2.55m under consultation.
• Seat belts: Government decision awaited on proposals to require lap belts in all minibuses and coaches used specifically for transporting children up to 16. • Emissions tests: The Environment Bill (currently before Parliament) has been amended, dropping proposals to allow officials other than uniformed police officers to stop vehicles prior to emissions tests. London boroughs are still seeking permission for borough officials to stop vehicles for such tests-the FTA, RHA, RAC and AA have jointly petitioned against this. • Motorways in Scotland: Draft regulations to replace 1964 regulations and bring them into line with motorway rules in England and Wales.
• 0-licence exemptions: Proposals to amend exemptions to 0-licensing and plating and testing are under consultation.
• VED evasion: VED evasion proposals to introduce wheelclamping for VED evasion are now under consultation.
• ADR: HSE consultation document on the new ADR aligned carriage of dangerous goods by road regulations is expected in November 1995. Implementation of new rules is planned for 1 June 1996 with a transitional period to November 1997.
EU
• Animal transport: The EU is currently considering proposals for implementing directives on travelling time, feeding/watering requirements and vehicle construction standards.
• Second generation tachographs: Amending regulations providing for full eledronic alternative or smart-card add-on to existing equipment have now been adopted by Commission as formal proposals. Under consultation but little progress at EU level. • Dangerous goods and environment-dangerous goods safety advisor directive: Previously known as risk prevention officer directive. The directive reached "common position" at the March 1995 Council of Transport Ministers' meeting. The proposal requires companies involved in rood, rail or inland waterway transport of dangerous goods to appoint a trained person to advise on dangerous goods regulations. Likely implementation by end of 1999. • Quality assurance scheme and CEN standard for carriers of dangerous goods: Directive requiring the development of voluntary quality standard for all dangerous goods carriers, based on the existing Dutch standard. CEN Technical Committee 320 (TC 3201 has established a working group to develop the standard; it is due to present a draft to the Commission by December 1996.