In the year 2022, a new year has arrived, which means it’s time for new driving laws in the UK!
We’ll look at the changes that are scheduled to take effect in 2022 so you can be sure you’re prepared for anything on the roads. We’ll go over everything from automobile insurance to the Highway Code, as well as mobile phone holes and petrol prices, among other things.
Let’s start with driving while using a mobile phone, and how the government is cracking down on loophole abusers.
In the United Kingdom, using a cell phone while driving is quite bad. It’s because of this that new policies are being enacted to tackle the problem of drivers using their phones on the roads head-on, as well as efforts to close any existing loopholes in the rules.
As we all know, you cannot text or call someone while driving in the United Kingdom right now, but people still check their phones or touch them to see if there is a message on the screen. By 2022, you will be unable to take photographs, film videos, browse your phone, or play games. Not that you should be doing so in the first place!
If you are discovered to be in violation of these brand-new regulations by the police, you will be fined £200 plus given six penalty points on your license for good measure.
You may, nevertheless, drive hands-free while using apps like a sat-nav to navigate. The only condition is that the phone be kept in a phone holder or cradle and that you don’t have to pick up your phone when utilizing the program. You’ll still be able to make contactless payments on your phone while you’re stationary, so you’re good at any McDonald’s drive-thru!
We’ll look at the new Highway Code now, which will include these modifications.
The Highway Code is expected to be updated in 2022 following the publication of a new edition, which will place more emphasis on protecting vulnerable road users such as cyclists.
The new arrangement is as follows: Pedestrians, cyclists, horse riders, motorcyclists, cars and taxis, vans and minibuses, HGVs and large passenger vehicles
Essentially, it implies that the lighter you are, the higher up the hierarchy you’re at, so drivers must give way to you if they’re in a vehicle that is larger or heavier. Isn’t it easy?
The continual presence of dogs on pavements is a nuisance to dog walkers, general walkers, and people with disabilities or other mobility problems.
This is already unlawful in London and Scotland, where all on-street parking will be banned starting in 2023, and England may soon do the same.
The Home Office has announced a new initiative to crack down on illegal parking in London. Instead of punishing those who park illegally on the pavement in just one city, such as London, people will be fined £70 throughout the country beginning next year. However, the proposals are still being discussed, so nothing is set in stone just yet.
That brings us to our next law change, which is councils’ and their authority when it comes to punishing road users. In 2022, all around the UK, governments will be granted more power as part of the bigger changes to motor vehicles that year. This means they’ll have the authority to hand out £70 fines for actions such as “moving traffic.”
The term “moving traffic” refers to anything from dubious turns to stopping in yellow box junctions rather than previous rules that only covered obvious changes like driving in bus lanes.
The ability to impose fines will be shared between 300 local authorities in the United Kingdom, resulting in police and council officials working together to issue penalties. There is some cause for concern, however, as certain prominent personalities worry that councils will go too far with their enforcement of traffic regulations and avoid the nuance provided by law enforcement.
The European Commission has announced that from July 6, 2022, all automobiles must be equipped with speed limiters if they are produced after that date. The European Parliament approved the plan in 2019, thus beginning on July 6, 2022, all automobiles will have to be equipped with speed limiters in Europe, including the UK.
From this point on, cars with ISA black boxes will be produced and will utilize GPS to identify speed restrictions, ensuring that the vehicle does not exceed them.
However, it only applies to vehicles manufactured after July 6, 2022, rather than those in production before that date and brought into the market thereafter.
In 2022, if you’re creating anything at all, whether it’s a home or a business structure, there must be an electric vehicle charging station installed. This is in the hopes of encouraging greater usage of electric vehicles in the United Kingdom to fulfil the government’s goal of eliminating new gasoline and diesel cars from sale by 2030.
It’s expected that if there are more electric vehicle charging stations available, customers will be more inclined to buy an electric car when they purchase a new vehicle. Let’s see how that works out!
The Clean Air Act, which went into effect on January 1, 2018, has also increased vehicle CO2 limits. As a result of the EPA’s latest decision, half-tonne trucks and commercial vehicles that are used in long-haul trucking may continue working—but only for two weeks each month. This is yet another new restriction that is already in place in London under the ULEZ name, or Ultra-Low Emission Zone (also known as the Clean Air Zone).
The daily charge for drivers who want to travel through the zone in a car that doesn’t meet the criteria is £12.50, as well as congestion charges if they choose to drive through it in a vehicle that isn’t eco-friendly. This was expanded to the North and South Circular ring roads in late 2021, and it appears on track to be implemented across Greater Manchester and Birmingham in May 2022 and June 2022 respectively. Bradford plans are also set to be announced, with a pilot planned for Oxford starting in 2022.
For all of these reasons, the Regional Vehicle Excise will differ widely in Greater Manchester depending on the category of car. Depending on the zone, an average vehicle would be expected to pay anything from £2 to £10.
Newcastle, North Tyneside, Gateshead, Sheffield, and Bristol will all join the scheme in July, but there won’t be any costs for these places yet.
You might be frightened by the term diesel and ban in the same phrase, but don’t worry; red diesel is typically used in farm or commercial vehicles. In reality, red fuel is almost always utilized to power something large, such as a bulldozer or crane.
The most important thing to note about this scenario is that if you operate a typical automobile or van, you will not be affected by the ban on these fuels, which will go into effect on April 1, 2022.
This restriction will benefit motorists in the long run! The new rule, which comes from the Financial Conduct Authority, bans automobile insurance firms from gradually raising premiums for existing customers. This is known as “price walking” and has been happening in the UK for some time, catching drivers by surprise as their rates rise without them knowing.
According to the AA, this new legislation might save motorists up to 4 billion pounds over ten years, but it does imply that new customer deals might be reduced or even cancelled. Swings and roundabouts . . . I suppose.
So, there you have it! The most significant changes to UK road signage that you can expect in 2022. However, certain things don’t change, and you may still get the ideal private number plate with National Numbers. We currently have 61 million privately registered vehicles available to choose from, and 0% financing is available on almost all of them.
