Three new driving laws set to launch this month - driver warning
MOTORISTS could be caught out by three new driving laws which are set to come into force throughout November.
Martin Lewis says 2.3 million UK driving licences are out of date
New driving rules will be introduced in the coming weeks for caravan owners while a new Clean Air Zone is also set to launch in the UK. The last of the DVLA’s driving licence extensions also falls in November meaning drivers may lose their right to drive unless they act quickly.
New caravan towing rules - November 15
Changes to towing rules mean anyone who passed their car driving test after January 1 1997 can now tow trailers up to 3,500kg
Under current rules, drivers who passed after this date had to go through an extra car and trailer test to tow anything heavier.
The DVLA will automatically update your driving licence record to show you can tow trailers.
To show this, an extra BE category will be added to your driving licence when you get your next photocard.
READ MORE: Drivers unaware of basic Highway Code laws - ‘clear confusion’
The DVLA has warned drivers can be fined £1,000, issued penalty points or even banned from the roads if they tow anything heavier before the law changes.
However, some experts still hold concerns over the new rule changes.
Jonathan White, Legal and Compliance Director at the National Accident helpline said they were concerned the changes could “present additional risk”.
DON'T MISS
New EU speed limiters should be ‘reconsidered’ [COMMENT]
Drivers could be fined £680million in new tax fees [INSIGHT]
‘Low opposition’ to scheme which may see prices of petrol cars rise [ANALYSIS]
New Clean Air Zone - November 29
Portsmouth will become only the third city outside London to introduce a Clean Air Zone charge on November 29.
The charge will not affect private cars but will impact private hire vehicles and some businesses.
Hire cars such as taxis will be charged £10 per day to drive in the zone while coaches and lorries will be hit with a £50 fee.
A total of 29 Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras have also been installed to enforce the fee.
Back in September Portsmouth Council said the scheme was “not a preferred option” to reduce emissions.
They said: “We’ve been working hard to make sure that anyone that may be charged as part of the CAZ has been informed and supported, and in many cases, we’ve been able to offer support for owners to upgrade their non-compliant vehicles.
“We’ve also made sure that systems are all in place ahead of launch so that it goes as smoothly as possible.
“Although a Clean Air Zone is not our preferred option for improving air quality in Portsmouth, we are required by central government to launch the zone.”
Driving licence extensions - end of November
Due to coronavirus, licences which were due to expire between February and December 2020 were given an automatic 11 month extension.
This means any licences which were due to expire last December will need to be renewed by the end of November.
However, drivers may be caught out by delays with DVLA services as a result of social distancing.
They warn paper applications are taking between six and ten weeks to process but there “may be longer delays”.