Changes to B+E Licences 

The NCC have released new information about the change to post-1997 B+E licences, which allow younger drivers to tow heavier combinations, the Statutory Instrument (SI) to change the relevant legislation has now been laid but will require a debate in the House before it comes into force, possibly around 15 November 2021.

The industry is of course buoyed by this change; however, the NCC feels it is important to be mindful of the following:

• The current rules stand until the law is changed – dealerships should make potential purchasers aware of this.

• The law will be changed by Statutory Instrument and this will have to be debated in Parliament. There is currently no date set for the debate but the draft SI indicates that it is expected to come into force around 15 November.

• From this date whilst it will not be mandatory to undertake a B+E test, the test will remain as an option - in Government's words: “possibly for employment or possibly to prove entitlement when driving outside of GB”. This move allows for those who may wish to tow in Europe, where training OR testing is mandated for heavier outfits.

• DVSA will continue to promote training and will explore options for “an industry led accreditation that could offer a standardised testing approach if that would be welcomed by the market, insurers and consumers”.

• Government is to engage with training providers and insurers to test the response to this change and to explore how to ensure that any road safety concerns are addressed.

• Not everyone supports this move and there are already concerns voiced on social media and by MPs about safety.

• It is now even more important than ever to check the car-caravan combination using e.g. Towcheck.