Citation, commencement and interpretation

1. —(1) These Regulations may be cited as the Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) (Amendment) Regulations 2003 and shall come into force on 21st February 2003.

(2) In these Regulations “the principal Regulations” means the Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) Regulations 1999( 2 ).

Amendment of regulation 9 of the principal Regulations (minimum ages for holding or obtaining licences)

2. In regulation 9(6) after sub-paragraph (b) there is inserted—

• “ , or

  (c)

  a Primary Care Trust established under section 16A of the National Health Service Act 1977 ( 3 ) ” .

Amendment of regulation 42 (exemption from theory test)

3. In regulation 42 of the principal Regulations—

(a) in paragraph (1)(d), the words “either”, “or of a class included in category B” and “in either case” are omitted;

(b) in paragraph (2)(d), the words “either”, “or of a class included in category A” and “in either case” are omitted.

Amendment of regulation 51 (exempted goods vehicles and military vehicles)

4. In regulation 51(1) of the principal Regulations—

(a) in sub-paragraph (h)—

(i) for “a road” there is substituted “public roads”, and

(ii) for “roads” there is substituted “public roads”;

(b) in sub-paragraph (j), for “roads”, in both places where the word occurs, there is substituted “public roads”.

Amendment of regulation 72 (disabilities prescribed in respect of Group 1 licences)

5. —(1) Regulation 72 of the principal Regulations is amended as provided in paragraphs (2) to (4).

(2) For paragraph (1) there is substituted—

“ (1) There is prescribed for the purposes of section 92(2) of the Traffic Act as a relevant disability in relation to an applicant for, or a holder of, a Group 1 licence, the inability to read in good daylight, with the aid of corrective lenses if worn, a registration mark which is affixed to a motor vehicle and contains characters of the prescribed size.

(1A) In paragraph (1) the “prescribed size” means—

(a) characters 79 millimetres high and 57 millimetres wide in a case where they are viewed from a distance of—

(i) 12.3 metres, by an applicant for, or the holder of, a licence authorising the driving of a vehicle of a class included in category K, and

(ii) 20.5 metres, in any other case; or

(b) characters 79 millimetres high and 50 millimetres wide in a case where they are viewed from a distance of—

(i) 12 metres, by an applicant for, or the holder of, a licence authorising the driving of a vehicle of a class included in category K, and

(ii) 20 metres, in any other case. ” .

(3) In paragraph (2), for the words “the Secretary of State is satisfied that the driving of a vehicle by him in accordance with the licence is not likely to be source of danger to the public” there are substituted the words “where the conditions set out in paragraph (2A) are satisfied”.

(4) After paragraph (2) there is inserted—

“ (2A) The conditions are that—

(a) so far as is practicable, he complies with the directions regarding his treatment for epilepsy, including directions as to regular medical check-ups made as part of that treatment, which may from time to time be given to him by the registered medical practitioner supervising the treatment,

(b) if required to do so by the Secretary of State, he has provided a declaration signed by him that he will observe the condition in sub-paragraph (a), and

(c) the Secretary of State is satisfied that the driving of a vehicle by him in accordance with the licence is not likely to be a source of danger to the public. ” .

Amendment of regulation 73 (disabilities prescribed in respect of Group 2 licences)

6. In regulation 73 of the principal Regulations—

(a) for paragraph (1) there is substituted—

“ (1) There is prescribed for the purposes of section 92(2) of the Traffic Act as a relevant disability in relation to an applicant for, or the holder of, a Group 2 licence the disability described in regulation 72(1). ” ;

(b) paragraph (3)(c) is omitted.

Amendment of regulation 80 (persons who become resident in Great Britain)

7. In regulation 80 of the principal Regulations—

(a) in paragraph (2)—

(i) for “Isle of Man or Jersey” there is substituted “Isle of Man, Jersey or Guernsey”, and

(ii) for “large goods vehicles”, in both places where the expression occurs, there is substituted “large and medium-sized goods vehicles”;

(b) in paragraph (3)(a), for “Isle of Man or Jersey” there is substituted “Isle of Man, Jersey or Guernsey”.

Amendment of Schedule 8 to the principal Regulations (specified requirements for practical or unitary test)

8. —(1) Schedule 8 to the principal Regulations is amended as provided in paragraphs (2) to (4).

(2) In Part 1, for section A (eyesight) there is substituted—

• “ Either—

• read in good daylight (with the aid of corrective lenses if worn) a registration mark fixed to a motor vehicle and containing letters and figures 79 millimetres high and 57 millimetres wide at a distance of 20.5 metres, or

• read in good daylight (with the aid of corrective lenses if worn) a registration mark fixed to a motor vehicle and containing letters and figures 79 millimetres high and 50 millimetres wide at a distance of 20 metres. ”

(3) In Part 2, for section A (eyesight) there is substituted—

• “ Either—

• read in good daylight (with the aid of corrective lenses if worn) a registration mark fixed to a motor vehicle and containing letters and figures 79 millimetres high and 57 millimetres wide at a distance of 20.5 metres, or

• read in good daylight (with the aid of corrective lenses if worn) a registration mark fixed to a motor vehicle and containing letters and figures 79 millimetres high and 50 millimetres wide at a distance of 20 metres. ”

(4) In Part 5, for paragraph 1 there is substituted—

“ 1. Either—

(a) read in good daylight (with the aid of corrective lenses if worn) a registration mark fixed to a motor vehicle and containing letters and figures 79 millimetres high and 57 millimetres wide at a distance of—

(i) 12.3 metres, in the case of a test conducted in respect of a vehicle included in category K;

(ii) 20.5 metres, in any other case, or

(b) read in good daylight (with the aid of corrective lenses if worn) a registration mark fixed to a motor vehicle and containing letters and figures 79 millimetres high and 50 millimetres wide at a distance of—

(i) 12 metres, in the case of a test conducted in respect of a vehicle included in category K;

(ii) 20 metres, in any other case. ” .

Amendment of Schedule 12 (elements of an approved training course)

9. In Schedule 12 to the principal Regulations, for element (A)2 there is substituted—

“ Trainees' eyesight must be tested. Trainees must be able to read, in good daylight (with the aid of corrective lenses if worn) either—

• a vehicle registration mark containing letters and figures 79 millimetres high and 57 millimetres wide at a distance of 20.5 metres, or

• a vehicle registration mark containing letters and figures 79 millimetres high and 50 millimetres wide at a distance of 20 metres ” .