Yahoo News Five new car and driving laws coming in July - from motorways to speed limits
Five new car and driving laws coming in July have been revealed. The main takeaway from the seventh month of the year is the General Election, which has seen the leading parties - the Labour Party, Conservative Party and Lib Dems - issue their plans.
The motoring industry is a key topic for the Conservative, Labour, and Liberal Democrat parties. The Tories plan to reverse the recent London Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ), impose restrictions on 20mph speed limits and Low Traffic Neighbourhoods (LTNs).
The party has also confirmed that they will remain against a pay-per-mile road tax model. The Conservatives are also reconfirming their commitment to Pumpwatch – a national scheme that will provide drivers with live fuel pricing.
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But the July 4 election isn't the only law change coming in July. The seventh month of the year brings with it a raft of changes for motorists, road users and drivers to be aware of with BirminghamLive rounding up all the key details below.
Speed limiters
As of Sunday 7 July 2024, new vehicles will need to have Intelligent Speed Assistance (ISA) systems fitted as standard as part of an EU safety regulation mandate. While the same law does not apply in Britain, most models sold in the UK will ultimately have the same speed-limiting technology installed by manufacturers.
It uses a combination of GPS data, satellite navigation, speed-sign recognition cameras and forward-facing cameras to identify what the speed limit is at any given time and determine if the vehicle is exceeding it.
If the car is travelling over the limit, the system can ultimately reduce the engine power until the legal speed is met.
M25 closure
M25 set for third full weekend closure as work continues on £317m improvement project. The M25 between junctions 10 and 11 will be closed from 9pm Friday 12 July to 6am Monday 15 July 2024 for the construction and installation of a bridge on the western gyratory of the roundabout at Junction 10.
General Election
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has outlined the Tory party’s plans for the upcoming election, where he has documented a number of pledges that will impact drivers. Labour leader Kier Starmer has pledged to reinstate the petrol and diesel ban to 2030 should he be elected.
The aim is to provide clarity to the industry as well as tackling climate targets. It would reverse the Conservative delay to the ban to 2035. Lib Dem leader Ed Davey’s ‘For a fair deal’ manifesto outlined several key policies for drivers.
Like Labour, they focused on increasing the transition to electric through more charge points – both for on-street parking and at petrol stations.
Car tax
On 12 February 2024 HMRC updated its guidance on the tax treatment of double cab pick-ups. The guidance stated that from 1 July 2024, all double cabs with a payload of 1 tonne or more would be treated as cars rather than goods vehicles for benefit in kind (BIK) purposes.
The new rules were due to apply to all double cab pick-ups ordered after 1 July 2024 – any vehicles already on fleet or ordered before July would still be subject to the existing classification until April 2028.
Following backlash from farmers and the motor industry, including the feedback from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), the government has decided to withdraw the new guidance.
Consumer Duty
While the original rules for Consumer Duty were introduced on July 31, 2023, the end of July will see the deadline for companies to abide by the new rules. Consumer Duty will require firms to act to ensure they deliver good outcomes for customers, including major car insurance and motor finance providers.
