Motorists could be affected by major new driving laws coming into effect for almost every road user in December.
Many petrol and diesel owners will be affected by updates to the Government’s advisory fuel rates – the recommended reimbursement rates for fuel costs of company cars – this month.
Electric car owners could benefit from some new rules with a set of policies for charging companies also coming into effect.
Meanwhile, updates to HGV rules and possible tweaks to the The Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) mandate – a UK government policy that requires car manufacturers to sell a minimum percentage of zero-emission vehicles each year – could change the face of UK roads.
Express.co.uk looks at every major rule change this month and how drivers could be impacted.
Advisory fuel rates – December 1
Company car owners could see less money reimbursed for fuel savings in December with tweaks to advisory fuel rates coming into effect from this weekend.
These prices are set by the Government and outline how much businesses should reimburse company car owners for fuel costs.
Following a downward trend in petrol and diesel pieces over the past few weeks, advisory fees will also drop.
According to specialists, refund rates for diesel cars up to 1,600cc have been cut from 12p per mile to 11ppm in December.
Meanwhile, diesel engines with more than 2,000cc will only receive 17p per mile, down from 18ppm in November.
Charing operators face £10k fines – December
Companies that run electric car charging stations must follow four new rules under a major tweak to the rules.
Firstly, the update states that new public charge points of 8kW+ and all existing charge points of 50kW+ must support contactless payments.
Firms not complying with the rules which came into effect at the end of November could be hit with a £10,000 charge.
Adam Hall, director of energy services at Drax Electric Vehicles, said: “Councils are working hard to modernise their EV infrastructure, but barriers continue to exist.”
“Bridging these gaps is essential to not only build confidence in the UK’s EV growing market but also help make the transition smoother for businesses and fleets who rely on a reliable public charging network.”
Charging station reliability – December
However, it’s not the only update to affect electric car charging firms with companies also being told to boost reliability.
Under the new guidelines, firms must ensure 99% reliability for rapid charge points at all times.
Meanwhile, companies must also provide a free-to-use 24/7 helpline and use the Open Charge Point Interface (OPCPI).
ZEV mandate – December
The Government could soon announce major updates to the Zero Emissions Vehicle (ZEV) mandate scheme after talks with car industry experts.
Business ministry Jonathan Reynolds had admitted there were concerns surrounding the current target.
Firms are currently required to ensure that 22% of models leaving forecourts are zero-emission models, forcing many to slash price tags to meet the target.
Companies who don’t meet the target will face hefty £15,000 fines per car over the limit unless they buy credits from other firms that have met the goal.
HGV rules – December 31
All lorries on UK roads must be fitted with a tachograph 2 digital system by the end of December due to a new rule.
The system uses satellite information to track vehicle data such as current location, driving time and information on any cargo.
The tool also uses Automatic border crossing registration to monitor journeys at all times.
DVSA chiefs mandated tachograph 2 tools for all new lorries from February 2024 but existing models must now be retrofitted as well.