April 15: hgv licence change date is set
Page 4
Page 5
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
7.5 tonnes will be new driving maximum
THE CHANGE from 3 tons unladen weight to 7.5 tonnes (7.38 tons) gross plated weight as the criterion for hgv drivers' licensing will take effect on April 15. Drivers of vehicles which have not required hgv driving licences because they do not exceed 3 tons unladen, but which exceed 7.5 tonnes gross weight and so fall foul of the new limit, have until January 1, 1977 to obtain them.
by CM reporter The above changes will be brought into effect by a Commencement Order and associated Regulations* laid before Parliament on March 26, but new minimum driving ages to accord with EEC provisions took effect immediately when the Road Traffic (Drivers' Ages and Hours of Work) Act was given Royal Assent last week.
The new minimum driving ages relate only to licences taken out from January 1 this year by drivers who are under 21 years of age. Drivers under 21 who already held a licence on January 1 will retain their previous entitlement; and drivers over 21 are not affected at all.
Among those drivers affected, the changes mean that a person must be 18 in order to drive goods vehicles over 3.5 tonnes (3.44 tons) gross weight but not exceeding 7.5 tonnes (7.38 tons) gross, including any trailer. For goods vehicles over that gross weight the driver must be 21. He or she must also be at least 21 in order to drive a passenger vehicle with more than nine seats (including the driver's).
To change the definition of a heavy goods vehicle, regulations laid before Parliament are scheduled to take effect on Apirl 15. These will apply hgv driving licence requirements to the new minimum driving ages provisions.
Thus, an hgv driving licence will be required for a vehicle over 7.5 tonnes gross plated weight, including any drawbar trailer, instead of over 3 tons unladen as under the former regulations. The weight limit thus now includes drawbar trailers.
There are provisions to allow drivers of vehicles previously exempt from hgv driving licence regulations, but falling within the new category, to continue to drive those vehicles. Such drivers will be able to claim an hgv licence restricted to class 3 vehicles not exceeding 10 tonnes (9.84 tons) gross without taking a test provided they can prove that they drove the appropriate vehicles for at least six months between January 1, 1975, and April 15, 1976. But they will not need this licence till January 1, 1977.
Application forms will, however, be available from DoE traffic area offices after April 15. The effect on drivers will be as follows : Vehicles not exceeding 7.5 tonnes plated weight (previously exempt because they had an unladen weight not exceeding 3 tons): No change except that the driver will have to be 18 years of age if the gross weight exceeds 3.5 tonnes.
Vehicles not exceeding 7.5 tonnes plated (previously requiring hgv driving licences because the unladen weight exceeded 3 tons): No hgv driving licence required but the driver will have to be 18 years of age if the gross weight exceeds 3.5 tonnes.
Vehicles exceeding 7.5 tonnes plated (previously exempt because the unladen weight did not exceed 3 tons): The driver will need to be 21 years of age and hold an hgv licence restricted to Class 3 vehicles not exceeding 10 tonnes gross. He can apply for this licence after April 15, 1976, but he will not need the licence till January 1, 1977. If he has been driving the relevant vehicle for at least six months between January 1, 1975, and April, 15, 1976, he will be granted an hgv licence in that class without taking a test.
For vehicles over 7.5 tonnes gross which also had an unladen weight in excess of 3 tons, the driver should, of course, already be in possession of an hgv licence.
The new Act also refers to drivers' hours regulations and provides principally for the amendment of the Transport Act 1968 to reduce the complexity of having two separate driving codes when the time comes to implement EEC Regulation 543/69 for internal traffic.
These hours provisions will not apply until a Commence ment Order is made. This will depend on the length of any further period of deferment of the EEC driving hours regula tions beyond July 1 (which is the present deferment date). Intra-Community discussion to modify the provisions of Regulation 543/69 are in progress and the outcome is awaited.
The new Act also introduces several definitions. These include "qualifying weight" which, in the section dealing with driving licences, means (in relation to a goods vehicle) a vehicle which has an unladen weight of 3 tons or less and a permissible maximum weight in excess of 7.5 tonnes; and "medium-sized goods vehicle" which means a motor vehicle which is constructed or adapted to carry or to haul goods and is not adapted to carry more than nine persons inclusive of the driver, and the permissible weight of which exceeds 3.5 tonnes but not 7.5 tonnes.