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know the law

6th February 1970
Page 87
Page 87, 6th February 1970 — know the law
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

by Les Oldridge AIRTE, AMIMI

The new h.g.v. driving licence (3)

IF AN APPLICANT for an h.g.v. driver's licence cannot satisfy the LA as to his driving experience on vehicles of the type for which he is applying for a licence, then he may be granted a provisional licence, in due course taking a test. And, incidentally, a holder of a p.s.v. driver's licence, is in no way exempt from the requirements of the h.g.v. driver's licence regulations. If the driver of a doubledeck bus wants to change his job to that of driving, say, even the smallest truck in the h.g.v. categories, he will only be able to obtain an h.g.v. driver's licence after passing a driving test on the type of vehicle he wishes to drive, or one from a higher grade.

A provisional licence lasts for six months and costs 10s. The man who is driving heavy vehicles under the transitional arrangements whereby he is covered by an ordinary driving licence, but is not exempt from taking a test because he has not had necessary driving experience during the period February 1969 to February 1970, can take the test without having held a provisional licence. Where a driver holds an h.g.v. driver's licence but wishes to drive vehicles of a higher class than that permitted by his licence, the licence he holds is treated as a provisional licence. This means he is permitted to drive vehicles of the class for which he wants the full licence but he must comply with all the conditions applying to the holder of a provisional licence until he passes the test on a vehicle in the new class.

Provisional licences

The conditions for the holders of h.g.v. provisional driving licences are very similar to those for [earner-drivers with the ordinary provisional licence. They are:— (a) The holder must be accompanied by another driver who is the holder of a full licence entitling him to drive that type of vehicle.

(b) A special h.g.v.. "L" plate (see sketch) must be displayed at the front and back of the vehicle.

(c) He must not drive an h.g.v. drawing a trailer except when he is driving an articulated vehicle and the trailer is part of that vehicle.

Applications for tests are made to the clerk of the Traffic Commissioners for the area in which the driving test centre at which the applicant wishes to be tested is situated. The test fee is £6. Anyone failing the test cannot take it again for at least one month.

Normally, tests are conducted by examiners appointed by the Minister of Transport hut examiners appointed by the Secretary of State may test soldiers, sailors or airmen and persons employed for naval, military or air force purposes. Chief officers of fire brigades and police forces may also appoint examiners for testing their own personnel. When attending for the test an empty vehicle of the class for which a licence is required must be provided.

One wonders why it is not permissible to take the test with a vehicle which is loaded as this is the condition in which it will be driven if the applicant is successful in passing the test but Regulation 21 of the Heavy Goods Vehicles (Driving Licences) Regulations 1969 specifically states that it must be unladen.

Test vehicle The same regulation lays down that there must be a proper seat securely fixed and adequately protected from the weather from which the examiner can conduct the test. It must not be a vehicle which requires two drivers or a statutory attendant, e.g. a heavy locomotive, and it must not have dual accelerator pedals or levers.

The applicant must produce to the examiner both his ordinary driving licence and his h.g.v. driver's licence and sign the examiner's attendance record. Where a driver fails to produce a vehicle which complies with the requirements I have listed above or fails to produce the driving licences or sign the attendance record the examiner can refuse to conduct the test.

The fee for the test must be sent with the application form for the test. If no appointment for a test is made or if the appointment made is subsequently cancelled by the MoT the fee will be refunded. If the applicant cancels the test three clear days before the date of the appointment the fee will be refunded. The term "three clear days" means three clear days excluding Saturdays, Sundays, any Bank Holiday, Christmas Day or Good Friday.

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