The Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) (Amendment) Regulations 2010

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations amend the Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) Regulations 1999.

The Regulations—

(a) introduce an abridged standard test of driving theory (“abridged theory test”) and make amendments in consequence (regulations 3, 4, 8(b) (in part), 12, 13, 15, 16(b), 18, 19, 20(c) and (d), 21(b) and 22 (in part));

(b) provide, in respect of cars, for a two part test of competence to drive (the first part being the abridged theory test, together with the standard test of hazard perception, and the second part being the practical test) for those holding a Safe Road User Award qualification awarded before the Regulations come into force and make amendment in consequence (regulations 4 (in part), 6(c) (in part), 18 (in part), 19 (in part) and 23 (in part));

(c) provide for a safe road use test, taken as part of an educational qualification, to form part of a three part test of competence to drive (the second part being the abridged theory test, together with the standard test of hazard perception, and the third part being the practical test) and provide for the content of the test and make amendment in consequence (regulations 4 (in part), 6(b) (in part), and (c), (in part), 18 (in part), 19 (in part), 20(a) (in part) and (d) (in part), 21(a) and 23 (in part));

(d) provide that a person supervising the holder of a provisional licence when learning to drive a medium size lorry or a minibus must themselves have passed a driving test in the same, or an equivalent, type of vehicle (regulation 5);

(e) provide for the conduct of the safe road use test by a person appointed by the Secretary of State (“appointed person”) (regulation 6(a) and 7 (in part));

(f) provide for any body awarding or authenticating educational qualifications which include a safe road use test (a “relevant awarding authority”) to appoint further persons or classes of persons to conduct safe road use tests, where the Secretary of State has approved the relevant awarding authority for that purpose (regulations 6(c) (in part) and 7 (in part));

(g) provide for the supply by the Secretary of State of materials and information required for the conduct of the safe road use test (regulation 7 (in part));

(h) provide that certain persons appointed to conduct theory tests are not to conduct the abridged theory test (regulation 8);

(i) make an amendment in consequence of the driving theory tests for cars, motorcycles and mopeds not being required to consist of questions (regulation 9);

(j) provide for the revocation of the appointment of an appointed person and for the revocation of an approval given to a relevant awarding authority to appoint persons or classes of person to conduct safe road use tests (regulation 10);

(k) provide that a relevant awarding authority may apply, on behalf of candidates, for safe road use tests to be conducted by an appointed person and require that a person who has failed that test must wait for at least three working days before retaking the test (regulation 11);

(l) provide that the fee for a car driving theory test is £24 where that test includes the abridged theory test and make amendments in consequence (regulations 12 to 15);

(m) require those submitting to the conduct of a safe road use test by an appointed person to be accompanied by a responsible person and require those submitting to a car driving theory test, if holding a valid certificate relating to the Safe Road User Award or the safe road use test, to produce such certificate (regulation 16);

(n) provide that an examiner must refuse to conduct a safe road use test if the person submitting to the test is not accompanied by a responsible person (regulation 17);

(o) provide for marking and furnishing of results in relation to the safe road use test and for the validity of qualification certificates (regulation 22); and

(p) reduce the minimum number of specified reversing manoeuvres (reversing in a straight line and round a corner, turn in the road and parking) having to be performed in the practical test of competence to drive for cars from one to two (regulation 24).

Full impact assessments of the effects that this instrument will have on the costs of business and the voluntary sector are available from the Driving Standards Agency, The Axis Building, 112 Upper Parliament Street, Nottingham, NG1 6LP or from the Agency’s website, www.dsa.gov.uk.

The assessments are annexed to the Explanatory Memorandum which is available alongside this instrument on the OPSI website, www.opsi.gov.uk.

Copies of the assessments have been placed in the library of each House of Parliament.