Explanatory note

These Regulations amend regulation 5 of the Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1996 (“1996 Regulations”) to permit the driving of zero-emission vehicles in certain circumstances in excess of the maximum authorised mass that would otherwise apply.

The Regulations allow a person who has held a category B licence for an aggregate period of not less than two years to drive a zero-emission vehicle designed and constructed for the carriage of no more than 8 passengers in addition to the driver with a maximum authorised mass not exceeding 4.25 tonne, or 5 tonnes for a zero-emission vehicle fitted with specialist equipment intended for the carriage of disabled passengers.

As is currently the case those category B licence holders may tow a trailer with a MAM not exceeding 750kgs provided that the zero-emission vehicle and trailer combination does not exceed a MAM of 5 tonnes.

The Regulations also allow a person who has held a category B licence for an aggregate period of not less than two years to drive a zero-emission vehicle and trailer combination provided that the maximum authorised mass of the trailer does not exceed 3.5 tonnes and the vehicle and trailer combination do not exceed a maximum authorised mass of 7 tonnes and provided that he has passed the prescribed test in respect of category B+E.

To ensure that minimum age requirements are consistent the Regulations modify the minimum age requirements for drivers of the zero-emission vehicles in question so that they are in line with those for category B vehicles while taking into account the requirement to have held the category B licence for an aggregate period of not less than 2 years.

An Explanatory Memorandum has been produced and is available from Driving, Vehicle and Road Safety Policy Division, Department for Infrastructure, James House, 2-4 Cromac Avenue, Belfast BT7 2JA or online alongside this Statutory Rule at http://www.legislation.gov.uk/nisr