LSA repeat some of the key compliance messages from last week
We keep it posted here as the go-to place for knowledge.
ULEZ suspended for COVID-19
TfL suspends all road user charging schemes to help critical workers
None of the charges, including ULEZ, are in operation from Monday 23 March until further notice.
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: "People should not be travelling, by any means, unless they really have to. London's roads should now only be used for essential journeys. To help our critical workers get to work and for essential deliveries to take place, I have instructed TfL to temporarily suspend the Congestion Charge, ULEZ and Low Emission Zone from Monday.
"This is not an invitation to take to your cars. To save lives we need the roads clear for ambulances, doctors, nurses and other critical workers. This is an unprecedented time and I know Londoners are doing everything they can to look after each other. I continue to urge all Londoners to follow the advice of public health authorities and not leave their homes unless it is absolutely essential."
For some critical workers, in the current circumstances, driving to work will be the simplest option, which is why the charges have been lifted.
To further support vital hospital staff getting into work during these challenging times, NHS workers will be given a code that waives the 24 hour access fee for Santander Cycles, meaning any journey under 30 minutes is free. In addition to free access, docking stations near hospitals are being prioritised to ensure there is a regular supply of bikes for medical staff to use.
Paul Cowperthwaite, TfL's General Manager of Road User Charging, said: "What we are seeing through this crisis is that London's critical workforce is wider than just the core emergency services. Emergency services workers are absolutely fundamental to our response, but supermarket workers, utilities engineers, refuse collectors, and many more, also need to be able to travel to keep the city functioning. This is why we have temporarily suspended road user charging in the capital."
Covid-19: Driver CPC temporary changes
Temporary changes to allow bus and lorry drivers who cannot complete compulsory Driver CPC training to continue to drive.
Driver CPC. During the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak it may be difficult for drivers to complete the required training.
The Department for Transport has put in place temporary changes in professional driver qualification requirements
This means that drivers whose Driver CPC card expires in the period from 1 March 2020 to 30 September 2020 can continue driving.
Most professional lorry and bus drivers must complete 35 hours periodic training every 5 years to maintain a Driver CPC card (sometimes called a ‘driver qualification card’ or ‘DQC’).
Getting military on the civilian road. In addition military drivers (who have different training) will be allowed to drive in civilian situations during that period.
DCPC Enforcement arrangements
Drivers will not be subject to enforcement action by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) in respect of the Driver CPC regulations. We have informed police forces of this position. If you are stopped by an enforcement officer they can check to see that you have previously recently held a Driver CPC or are in the military (including reservists acting under instruction). Drivers should carry their expired Driver CPC card if they have it.
The drivers that this measure applies to will be required to comply with Driver CPC rules from 1 October 2020.
The end date will be kept under review. The proposed schedule includes a substantial period to recover missed training, whose duration will need further assessment.
Insurance - Road transport operators will need to check insurance validity, but should not expect any significant change in premiums.
Never held a Driver CPC or Driver CPC expired before 1 March 2020? - We are considering options for drivers with the HGV or PCV entitlements who have never held a Driver CPC and who want to start driving professionally
DfT Transporting dangerous goods securely
Update March 31st during Covid-19
Dangerous goods are assigned classes ranging from 1 to 9.
Guidance on the carriage of radioactive material (class 7) is published by the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR).
The Department for Transport provides guidance on all other classes, which supports the regulations for the carriage of dangerous goods.
Further guidance on the carriage of dangerous goods is available from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).
A simple overview of how to ship, package and label dangerous goods is available on GOV.UK.
Recommendations on the secure carriage of dangerous goods are contained in chapter 1.10 of both the European Agreement Concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Road (ADR) and the Regulations concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Rail (RID).
The security provisions of ADR and RID apply in the UK through Regulation 5 of the Carriage of Dangerous Goods and Use of Transportable Pressure Equipment Regulations (CDG) 2009. Regulations 7 and 8 contain additional security provisions that apply in Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales). DfT has published detailed guidance on the security requirements for the carriage of goods by road and rail.
DfT is responsible for the enforcement of the secure carriage of dangerous goods requirements (excluding class 7 radioactive materials).
DfT has an expert stakeholder group called the Industry Advisory Group to develop and monitor the implementation of these security requirements and any supporting guidance.
Dangerous goods security enquiries - Contact DfT if you have a question about government policy and regulations for the secure carriage of dangerous goods. You can: email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Transporting dangerous goods safely
When transported, dangerous goods need to be packaged correctly to comply with international and national regulations for each transport mode, to ensure they are carried safely. The Vehicle Certification Agency (VCA) Dangerous Goods Office is responsible for the certification of dangerous goods packaging within the UK.
ADR/RID packaging and technical enquiries
Contact the VCA Dangerous Goods Office if you have a packaging or technical question about how requirements contained in ADR or RID may affect you. You can: email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Enforcement of the safe carriage of dangerous goods
The enforcement for the safe carriage of dangerous goods is undertaken by several authorities (excluding Class 7 radioactive materials). The authority responsible for enforcing the regulations depends on the mode of transport: for road transport, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) and the police are responsible or rail transport the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) are responsible
for sea transport the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) are responsible
for air transport the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) are responsible
Keeping vans on the road for delivery to the door
MOT exemption in battle against coronavirus
Facing an MOT? If it's roadworthy, it can stay on the road
Temporary exemption will enable vital services to continue, delivery to the door, frontline workers to get to work, and people to get essential food and medicine.
LSA Chairman, Carl Lomas, ‘This is great news to keep vans on the road and keep deliveries moving to the door.’
· Vans, motorcycles and cars to be granted MoT exemption
· this will allow people to carry on with essential travel
· vehicles must be kept in roadworthy condition
Vehicle owners will be granted a 6-month exemption from MOT testing, enabling them to continue to travel to work where this absolutely cannot be done from home, or shop for necessities.
All vans cars and motorcycles which usually would require an MOT test will be exempted from needing a test from 30 March 2020. Vehicles must be kept in a roadworthy condition, and garages will remain open for essential repair work. Drivers can be prosecuted if driving unsafe vehicles.
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said: ‘We must ensure those on the frontline of helping the nation combat COVID-19 are able to do so. Allowing this temporary exemption from vehicle testing will enable vital services such as deliveries to continue.’
Safety is key, which is why garages will remain open for essential repair work. Legislation will be introduced on March 30 and will come into immediate effect for 12 months, following a short consultation with key organisations. Drivers will still need to get their vehicle tested until the new regulations come into place, if they need to use it.
If you cannot get an MOT that’s due because you’re in self-isolation, the Department for Transport is working with insurers and the police to ensure people are not unfairly penalised for things out of their control.
Practical driving tests and annual testing for lorries, buses and coaches have been suspended for up to 3 months.
DfT relax driver hours to all sectors
In response to unprecedented pressures on local and national supply chains, the Department for Transport has pursuant to Article 14(2) of Regulation (EC) No 561/2006, introduced a temporary and limited urgent relaxation of the enforcement of EU drivers’ hours rules in England, Scotland and Wales. It has also introduced a temporary and limited urgent relaxation of the enforcement of GB drivers’ hours rules in England, Scotland and Wales.
The GB drivers’ hours rules can be temporarily relaxed as follows:
a) Replacement of the GB duty time limit of 11 hours with 12 hours
b) Replacement of the GB daily driving time limit of 10 hours with 11 hours
Drivers can only take advantage of this temporary relaxation 5 days in any 7 day period, and must take a rest period of 24 hours within the same 7 day period when taking advantage of this relaxation.
These two temporary relaxations apply from 00:01 on Monday 23 March 2020 and will run until 23:59 on Tuesday 21 April 2020. The department reserves the right to withdraw the relaxations earlier or extend the relaxations if circumstances change. In addition, the continuation of the relaxations past Sunday 5 April is subject to a specific review.
