The Vehicle Drivers (Certificates of Professional Competence) Regulations 2007

Amendment of the Driving Licences Regulations

15.—(1) Regulation 9 of the Driving Licences Regulations (minimum ages for holding or obtaining licences) is amended as follows.

(2) Omit paragraph (5).

(3) For paragraphs (7) and (8) substitute—

“(7) In item 7, the age of 18 is substituted for the age of 21 in relation to a motor vehicle of a class included in category C or C+E where the person driving the vehicle —

(a) has an initial qualification authorising him to drive motor vehicles of that class,

(b) is using the vehicle as described in regulation 3(2)(e) of the Vehicle Drivers (Certificates of Professional Competence) Regulations 2007,

(c) is authorised by such document as is referred to in regulation 4(5)(d) of those Regulations to drive motor vehicles of that class, or

(d) by reason of being a person in relation to whom regulation 4(7) of those Regulations applies, is not required to have an initial qualification as described in sub-paragraph (a).”

(4) For paragraph (9) substitute—

“(9) In item 7, the age of 18 is substituted for the age of 21 in relation to a motor vehicle of a class included in category D or D+E, other than sub-category D1 or D1+E, where the person driving the vehicle —

(a) has an initial qualification authorising him to drive motor vehicles of that class and is either —

(i) engaged in the carriage of passengers on a regular service over a route which does not exceed 50 kilometres, or

(ii) not engaged in the carriage of passengers,

(b) is using the vehicle as described in regulation 3(2)(e) of the Vehicle Drivers (Certificates of Professional Competence) Regulations 2007,

(c) is authorised by such document as is referred to in regulation 4(5)(d) of those Regulations to drive motor vehicles of that class, or

(d) by reason of being a person in relation to whom regulation 4(7) of those Regulations applies, is not required to have an initial qualification relating to motor vehicles of that class.

(9A) In item 7, the age of 18 is substituted for the age of 21 in relation to a motor vehicle of a class included in sub-category D1 or D1+E where the person driving the vehicle —

(a) has an initial qualification authorising him to drive motor vehicles of that class,

(b) is using the vehicle as described in regulation 3(2)(e) of the Vehicle Drivers (Certificates of Professional Competence) Regulations 2007,

(c) is authorised by such document as is referred to in regulation 4(5)(d) of those Regulations to drive motor vehicles of that class, or

(d) by reason of being a person to whom regulation 4(7) of those Regulations applies, is not required to have an initial qualification relating to motor vehicles of that class.

(9B) In item 7, the age of 20 is substituted for the age of 21 in relation to a motor vehicle of a class include in category D or D+E, other than sub-category D1 or D1+E, where the person driving the vehicle —

(a) has an initial qualification authorising him to drive motor vehicles of that class, and

(b) is engaged in the carriage of passengers otherwise than on such a service as is described in paragraph (9)(a)(i).”

(5) Omit paragraph (13)(b) and (c) and insert after sub-paragraph (c)—

“(d) in paragraphs (7), (9), (9A) and (9B), “initial qualification” means such initial qualification as is provided for in Article 3(1)(a) of Council Directive 2003/59/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on the initial qualification and periodic training of drivers of certain road vehicles for the carriage of goods or passengers;

(e) in paragraphs (9) and (9B), expressions which are also used in that Directive have the same meanings as in that Directive.”