Digital tachograph changes The second phase of changes due in
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October 2012 to the specification (first phase in October 2011) looks to increase security. To detect tampering, information from an independent motion sensor will be checked against the vehicle unit and any discrepancies will be logged and reported as motion conflict events. Mandatory upgrade or retrofitment is not required.
HSE cost recovery The government is proposing to introduce cost recovery for health and safety enforcement interventions in April 2013. Where an enforcement officer finds a material breach of regulations, the costs for all interventions, such as visits, phone calls, written advice (by letter or email), or issuing improvement or prohibition notices, will be charged using an hourly rate of about £124 until the issue is resolved by an improvement or a prosecution.
Daytime running lamps (DRL) DRLs switch on automatically when the vehicle ignition switch enables the starting/ running of the engine. Already required for new van and car types, new vehicle truck types must have them fitted from 7 August 2012. There are no plans to retrofit or for older vehicles to have to use other lights in the daytime.
Tyre labelling An EU regulation requires all new tyres for sale to be classified and labelled for fuel efficiency, wet grip and noise performance from 1 November 2012. Similar to the labelling of household appliances, the labels will allow potential purchasers to compare these characteristics more easily.
Northern Ireland operator licensing reform Legislation is in place to amend the operator licensing system to more closely align with the GB system from 1 July 2012. This includes the introduction of restricted operator licensing for the first time and applications from own account operators should be submitted to the DOE Transport Regulation Unit between I July and 30 September.
EC Whole Vehicle Type Approval (ECWVTA) All new vehicles made or imported for sale in the UK or across the EU cannot be sold or registered for use on the road without an approval – no approval means no sale. Introduced in phases from 2010, ECWVTA will also apply to: existing type medium and heavy CVs and trailers built in a single stage, as well as new type medium and heavy CVs built in multistages from October 2012; existing type LCVs built in multi-stages from April 2013; existing type trailers built in multi-stages from October 2013; and existing type medium and heavy CVs built in multi-stages from October 2014.