# The Motorways Traffic (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2026, Regulation 4: Amendment of the Motorways Traffic Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2008

Extent: N.I.

For regulation 11 (vehicles not to be driven by learner drivers) substitute the following—
“Vehicles driven by learner drivers
11. (1) Subject to paragraphs (2) and (3), a person shall not drive on a motorway a motor vehicle—
(a) in category AM, A1, A2, A, B, P or Q; or
(b) in sub-category C1 or D1 (not for hire or reward) if the provisional licence held by the person driving the vehicle was in force at a time before 1st January 1997,
if that person is authorised to drive that vehicle only by virtue of being the holder of a provisional licence.
(2) Paragraph (1) shall not apply in relation to a vehicle if the holder of the provisional licence—
(a) has passed a test of competence prescribed under Article 5(3) of the Road Traffic (Northern Ireland) Order 1981 for the grant of a licence to drive that vehicle; or
(b) is in a vehicle in category B and is accompanied by an Approved Driving Instructor as defined in The Motor Vehicles (Driving Instruction) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2010; or
(c) is on a vehicle in category A, A2 or A1 and is accompanied by an Approved Motorcycle Instructor, as defined in The Motor Vehicles (Driving Instruction) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2010, who, notwithstanding regulation 12(5A)(c) of the Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1996, is supervising only the holder of the provisional licence and no other person.
(3) Paragraphs (2)(b) and (2)(c) shall not apply to the driver of a vehicle in category A1 or B until 1st April 2027 where—
(a) that person is authorised to drive that vehicle only by virtue of being the holder of a provisional licence; and
(b) the provisional licence was in force before 1st October 2026.
(4) In this regulation—
(a) the expression “in force” and expressions relating to vehicle categories shall be construed in accordance with regulations 2(2) and 3(2) respectively of the Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1996; and
(b) “provisional licence”, in relation to any vehicle, means a licence—
(i) granted under Article 13(3) of the Road Traffic (Northern Ireland) Order 1981; or
(ii) which authorises its holder by virtue of Article 14(2) of that Order to drive all other classes of motor vehicle.”

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Source: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/nisr/2026/143/regulation/4 (the official version)
Page: https://openlegislation.uk/motorways-traffic-amendment-regulations-northern-ireland-2026/regulation-4
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives.