XN000022-1984-07-22 — Page 5

SUNDAY, JULY 22, 1984

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GOODS VEHICLES TO BE CLASSIFIED

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NEW CLASSES OF DRIVING LICENCES WILL BE CREATED WHEN THE NEW ROAD TRAFFIC (DRIVING LICENCE) REGULATIONS COME INTO FORCE IN LATE AUGUST THIS YEAR.

UNDER THE REGULATIONS, THE EXISTING +ALL GOODS VEHICLES+ WILL BE SUBDIVIDED INTO THE FOLLOWING CATEGORIES, WITH EACH CATEGORY REQUIRING A SEPARATE DRIVING LICENCE:

* LIGHT GOODS VEHICLES OF UP TO 5.5 TONNES GROSS,

* MEDIUM GOODS VEHICLES OF UP TO 24 TONNES GROSS,

* HEAVY GOODS VEHICLES OF OVER 24 TONNES GROSS,

* SPECIAL-PURPOSE VEHICLES, SUCH AS ROAD SWEEPERS, AND

* ARTICULATED VEHICLES, SUCH AS CONTAINER LORRIES.

+ THE RECLASS IF ICATION IS TO RECOGNISE THAT DIFFERENT DRIVING SKILLS ARE REQUIRED FOR THE HANDLING OF DIFFERENT CATEGORIES OF GOODS VEHICLES,+ A SPOKESMAN FOR THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT SAID.

+ IT IS ALSO AIMED AT PROMOTING GREATER ROAD SAFETY BY ENSURING THAT DRIVERS OF EACH CATEGORY OF GOODS VEHICLES POSSESS THE PROPER SKILLS TO HANDLE THE VEHICLES SAFETY, HE SAID.

PROVISIONS HAVE BEEN MADE TO ALLOW HOLDERS OF CURRENT GOODS VEHICLE LICENCES TO DRIVE LIGHT, MEDIUM AND HEAVY RIGID GOODS VEHICLES AFTER THE IMPLEMENATION OF THE NEW REGULATIONS.

THERE ARE ALSO TRANSITIONAL ARRANGEMENTS TO ALLOW CURRENT GOODS VEHICLE LICENCE HOLDERS TO DRIVE ARTICULATED VEHICLES DURING THE FIRST THREE YEARS AFTER THE IMPLEMENTATION DATE.

+HOWEVER, AFTER THIS PERIOD, THESE DRIVERS WOULD BE REQUIRED TO HAVE PASSED OR BEEN EXEMPTED FROM THE APPROPRIATE TEST IN ORDER TO CONTINUE TO DRIVE THIS NEW CLASS OF VEHICLE,+ THE SPOKESMAN SAID.

HE ADDED THAT AGREEMENT HAD NOW BEEN REACHED WITH THE UNIONS AND EMPLOYERS ON THE CRITERIA FOR EXEMPTING EXISTING DRIVERS FROM THE TEST.

THE NEW REGULATIONS ALSO EMPOWER THE COMMISSIONER FOR TRANSFONT TO REQUIRE A DRIVING INSTRUCTOR TO TAKE A TEST OF CONTINUED ABILITY AND FITNESS TO GIVE INSTRUCTION, AND INSTRUCTORS ARE REQUIRED TO MAINTAIN A RECORD OF ANY INSTRUCTION GIVEN T DRIVERS.

LEARNER

/THE SPOKESMAN