4.25-tonne alternative fuel derogation continues

A derogation allowing drivers with Category B (car licences) to drive ‘alternatively fuelled’ commercial vehicles of up to 4.25 tonnes gvw in certain circumstances which was due for review this year has been retained in UK law and will not be removed by the Retained EU Law Bill that is currently passing through Parliament, the Department for Transport has confirmed.

The Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) (Amendment) Regulations 2018 (the ‘2018 Regulations’) made changes to the law to allow Category B licence holders to drive an alternatively fuelled vehicle that weighs between 3.5 and 4.25 tonnes used for the transportation of goods, provided it is not driven outside of Great Britain, is not towing a trailer and the driver has completed a minimum of five hours training.

The 2018 Regulations relied on a temporary derogation from the European Union third driving licence directive of 2006, which was issued by the European Commission in May 2018 to run for five years. This period has now expired.

At the time of their introduction, the DfT said: “We intend to keep the requirements from the 2018 Regulations in place until at least 2023. We will conduct a review of the legislation in advance, to evaluate the impact of the legislation and consider whether it is still necessary.”

Destination Net Zero has asked the DfT what the situation was now that the derogation had apparently expired. Was it still legal for a 4.25-tonne alternative fuel vehicle to be driven by the holder of a Cat B licence?

The DfT maintained that the derogation had not expired, but had been due for review within the five years of being granted. It added: “We are currently consulting on the derogation and aim to establish the longerterm position of the policy.”

‘Alternative fuels’ were defined in the derogation as electricity, natural gas and hydrogen, and electricity generated by using hydrogen.

Drivers who wish to take advantage of the derogation must undertake five hours of specific training by a qualified instructor on either the National Register of LGV Instructors or the National Vocational Driving Instructors Register.

Daimler and Toyota merge truck resources in Japan

The syllabus covers three areas: preparing the vehicle and its contents, driving in accordance with the Highway Code, and safe and efficient driving.

Vehicles of between 3.5 and 4.25 tonnes are normally categorised as ‘LGVs’ (large goods vehicles) rather than LCVs (light commercial vehicles). However, alternativelyfuelled vehicles of 3.51-4.25 GVW are exempt from LGV Operator licencing, as is any electrically-powered goods vehicle first registered before March 2015.

While vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes gvw are included in the car/light commercial MoT testing regime (first test at three years), all those (including alternatively-fuelled vehicles) of over 3.5 tonnes are subject to goods vehicle annual testing, with the first test due 12 months after first registration. Such vehicles must also be fitted with speed limiters. This includes those running under the derogation.

Vehicles of under 7.5 tonnes authorised mass (including any trailer) fuelled by natural or liquefied gas or electricity, and only carrying goods within 100 km of the company base are exempt from the EU Drivers Hours Rules regulations.

A single holding company will be formed to control the Japanese operations of Daimler Truck and Toyota, and share resources in developing new technologies.

Daimler’s Mitsubishi Fuso subsidiary will be united with Toyota’s Hino Motors. The merged company will share resources in developing new technologies such as autonomous driving and hydrogen power. The sales organisations remain separate, but the two companies will pursue joint development, procurement and production activities.

Daimler and Toyota are expected to sign a definitive agreement in Q1 2024 and close the transaction by the end of that year. Fuso eCanter launch: Page 38