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Motorists are being warned about new road rules they may be unaware of that have been launched in the last few weeks, including a major Government scheme and updates for driving tests.
July saw the introduction of Labour’s Electric Car Grant, movement from the DVSA to support motorists and financial savings for certain drivers.
To help drivers deal with the countless motoring changes, GB News has rounded up the most important new rules you need to be aware of.
Do you have a story you’d like to share? Get in touch by emailing motoring@gbnews.uk
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A number of important driving law changes were introduced in July
Electric cars
In mid-July, Labour unveiled its new £650million Electric Car Grant to support the uptake of new EV and incentivise drivers to ditch their petrol and diesel vehicles.
The scheme will help motorists save up to £3,750 off the price of a new zero emission car priced at or under £37,000.
Commenting on the scheme, Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said: “This EV grant will not only allow people to keep more of their hard-earned money – it’ll help our automotive sector seize one of the biggest opportunities of the 21st century.”
A further announcement is expected in August, which will unveil which cars are part of the scheme, although there are expected to be some notable omissions.
Chinese brands are not expected to be included in the list of eligible vehicles amid fears around the environmental and sustainable credentials in the manufacturing process.
Many Chinese brands rely on coal to power manufacturing plants where the electric cars are made, meaning they could fall short of the Government’s “Science Based Targets”.
Commenting on the decision, Future of Roads Minister Lilian Greenwood said: “Frankly, if you generate a lot of the electricity that powers your factory through coal power stations, then you are not going to be able to access this grant.”
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:
DVSA
A consultation on the driving test backlog recently ended, which aimed to seek opinions on the test booking system regarding who is eligible to book.
The DVSA put three ideas forward, including only allowing learner drivers to book and manage tests, while the second would allow learners and instructors to book, but only learners could make changes.
A third option would keep the current system the same. The outcome of the backlog is expected to inform future DVSA decisions.
It comes as the AA Driving School warned that the driving test backlog “cannot get much worse”.
Martin Lewis has helped motorists with the car finance scandal
Car finance
Drivers are set to receive a long-awaited reprieve in the coming days when the Supreme Court deliver its verdict on whether a redress scheme should be set up for motorists.
Money saving expert Martin Lewis states that his MSE service has received more than three million correspondences with its complaint template letters.
The Supreme Court is expected to hand down its verdict at 4.35pm on Friday afternoon (August 1) in a rare move to avoid market disruption.
READ MORE: Rachel Reeves risks fury from millions of drivers with ‘outrageous’ car finance scandal decision
Ofgem price cap
The regulator Ofgem slashed the energy price cap at the start of July, bringing it down to £1,720 for a typical household – a drop of seven per cent compared to the previous quarter.
The new Standard Variable Tariff for electricity was also slashed to 25.73p per kilowatt hour, providing major savings to electric vehicle owners.
Motorists with an EV-friendly home tariff could see drivers of a Volkswagen ID.5, which has a 77kWh battery and a range of 334 miles, charge for just £5.39.