The Government has released a new consultation on bringing section 19 of the Road Safety Act 2006 into effect. The result of this would mean that a number of new vehicles would be included in the speed limit exemption regulations.
Currently only vehicles being used for the following purposes may be exempt from speed limits:
- Police purposes;
- Fire and rescue service authority purposes;
- Ambulance purposes; and
- Serious Organised Crime Agency purposes.
The proposal is to include vehicles used for the following purposes, which the general public may be surprised are not already exempt:
- HMRC purposes;
- Civil aviation fire and rescue purposes;
- Vehicles primarily used for transporting human tissue for transplant purposes;
- MOD bomb disposal vehicles purposes;
- Forestry commission purposes;
- Security services purposes;
- Blood transfusion purposes;
- Mountain rescue purposes;
- RAF Mountain rescue purposes;
- MOD radiation and accident and emergency services purposes;
- Coastguard purposes; and
- RNLI purposes.
The second element that the Government plans to introduce is high speed training courses that drivers would need to undertake (or be in the process of undertaking) before they can be permitted to exceed the speed limit.
It should be noted that these drivers will still be liable to prosecutions for dangerous or careless driving as a result of their driving. Even though they may be permitted to driver at fasted speeds, they still are required to drive responsibly.
Jared Dunbar
Dyne Solicitors Limited