The Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) (Amendment) Regulations 2012

8.  In regulation 9 (minimum ages for holding or obtaining licences)—

(a)after paragraph (1) insert—

“(1A) In item 2 (moped), for the class of moped there is substituted the classes of a vehicle in category AM (moped and light quadricycle) and a category Q vehicle.”;

(b)for paragraph (2) substitute—

“(2) In item 3 (motor bicycle)—

(a)subject to paragraphs (2A) to (2F), for the class of motor bicycle and the age of 17 there is substituted, in respect of full licences, the following—

(b)subject to paragraph (2G), in relation to the class of motor bicycle there is, in respect of provisional licences, substituted for the age of 17 the age of 24.”;

(c)after paragraph (2) insert—

“(2A) For the age of 17 in relation to item 3(1) in the table in paragraph (2)(a) there is substituted the age of 16 in the case of a person holding a Community licence authorising the driving of vehicles in sub-category A1.

(2B) For the age of 19 in relation to item 3(2) in the table in paragraph 2(a) there is substituted the age of 18 in the case of a person holding a Community licence authorising the driving of vehicles in sub-category A2.

(2C) For the age of 19 in relation to item 3(2) and the age of 24 in relation to item 3(3) in the table in paragraph 2(a) there is substituted the age of 17 where a person passed a test before 19th January 2013 in respect of a motor bicycle (other than a motor bicycle with an engine the maximum net power output of which is 11 kilowatts or less) and the standard access period has expired.

(2D) For the age of 19 in relation to item 3(2) in the table in paragraph 2(a) there is substituted the age of 17 in a case where the vehicle is—

(a)owned or operated by the Secretary of State for Defence, or

(b)being driven by a person for the time being subject to the orders of a member of the armed forces of the Crown,

and is being used for naval, military or air force purposes.

(2E) For the age of 24 in relation to item 3(3) in the table in paragraph 2(a) there is substituted—

(a)the age of 21 in a case where a person has, for a period of not less than two years, held a full licence which authorises the driving of A2 motorcycles;

(b)the age of 20 in the case of a person holding a Community licence authorising the driving of vehicles in sub-category A3; and

(c)the age of 17 in a case where—

(i)the vehicle is being used for naval, military or air force purposes and is—

(aa)owned or operated by the Secretary of State for Defence; or

(bb)being driven by a person for the time being subject to the orders of a member of the armed forces of the Crown; or

(ii)a person—

(aa)passes an appropriate driving test after 18th January 2013 on a vehicle of a class in category B or sub-category A2 or A3; and

(bb)was entitled, before 19th January 2013, to a licence to drive a motor bicycle with an engine having a maximum net power output exceeding 25 kilowatts or a power to weight ratio exceeding 9.16 kilowatts per kilogram.

(2F) For the age of 24 in relation to item 3A in the table in paragraph 2(a) there is substituted—

(a)the age of 21 in a case where a person has, for a period of not less than two years, held a full licence which authorises the driving of A2 motorcycles;

(b)the age of 17 in a case where—

(i)the vehicle is—

(aa)owned or operated by the Secretary of State for Defence, or

(bb)being driven by a person for the time being subject to the orders of a member of the armed forces of the Crown,

and is being used for naval, military or air force purposes; or

(ii)the person was, before 19th January 2013, entitled to drive vehicles having three or four wheels and an unladen weight not exceeding 550 kilograms.

(2G) For the age of 24 as substituted by paragraph 2(b) there is substituted—

(a)the age of 21 in the case of a provisional licence for the driving of A3 motorcycles where a person has, for a period of not less than two years, held a full licence which authorises the driving of A2 motorcycles;

(b)the age of 19 in the case of a provisional licence which is restricted to the driving of A2 motorcycles;

(c)the age of 17 where a person has passed a test before 19th January 2013 in respect of a motor bicycle (other than a motor bicycle with an engine the maximum net power output of which is 11 kilowatts or less) and the standard access period has expired;

(d)the age of 17 in the case of a provisional licence which is restricted to the driving of A1 motorcycles; and

(e)the age of 17 in a case where the vehicle is—

(i)owned or operated by the Secretary of State for Defence; or

(ii)being driven by a person for the time being subject to the orders of a member of the armed forces of the Crown,

and is being used for naval, military or air force purposes.”;

(d)after paragraph (3) insert—

“(3A) In item 5 (small vehicle) the class of small vehicles except motor tricycles and light quadricycles is substituted for the class of small vehicle.”;

(e)in paragraph 4 omit “(small vehicles)”;

(f)omit paragraph (6);

(g)after paragraph (7) insert—

“(8) In item 7, the age of 18 is substituted for the age of 21 in relation to a motor vehicle of a class included in category C or C+E where the vehicle is being used by the fire service or for maintaining public order or is undergoing road tests for repair or maintenance purposes.

(8A) In item 7, the age of 18 is substituted for the age of 21 in the case of a motor vehicle and trailer combination which is in sub-category C1+E and the maximum authorised mass of the combination does not exceed 12 tonnes.

(8B) Subject to paragraphs (9) and (9B), in item 7 the age of 24 is substituted for the age of 21 in relation to a motor vehicle of a class included in category D or D+E, other than sub-category D1 or D1+E, save—

(a)where the vehicle is being used by the fire service or for maintaining public order or is undergoing road tests for repair or maintenance purposes; or

(b)in respect of a person under the age of 24 who was entitled to a licence to drive a vehicle of that class before 19th January 2013.”; and

(h)in paragraph (13) after sub-paragraph (e) insert—

“; and

(f)in the calculation of the period of time for which a licence has been held there shall be disregarded any deductible period.”.