Changes to coach and bus driving licences and tests from 15 November 2021

This article is an extract from the advice contained on the Government website. For full details you can read the article here.

Buses and coaches
You currently have to learn to drive and pass a driving test in a bus or coach (category D) before you can learn to drive and take a test in a bus or coach towing a trailer (category DE).

The law is going to change so that you’ll be able to:

  • learn to drive in a bus or coach towing a trailer when you get your first provisional bus licence from 15 November 2021 (if you already have a provisional licence, you’ll need to take extra steps to upgrade your provisional licence)
  • take your test in a bus or coach towing a trailer without having to pass one in just a bus or coach first

You’ll still be able to learn to drive and take a driving test in a bus or coach (category D) if you do not want to tow trailers.

When you pass your test in a bus or coach towing a trailer, you’ll then be allowed to drive:

  • a minibus (D1)
  • a minibus towing a trailer (D1E)
  • a bus or coach (D)
  • a bus or coach towing a trailer (DE)
  • Minibuses

This change will also apply to minibuses towing a trailer (category D1E).

This means you’ll be able to learn to drive a minibus towing a trailer (category D1E) and take your test in one, without having to pass a test in just a minibus (category D1) first.

When you pass your test in a minibus towing a trailer, you’ll then be allowed to drive:

  • a minibus (D1)
  • a minibus towing a trailer (D1E)

What you can do until the law changes
Until the law changes on 15 November 2021, you must continue to follow the current rules about what you’re allowed to drive when you’re a learner driver.

You can be fined up to £1,000, be banned from driving and get up to 6 penalty points on your driving licence if you drive a vehicle that’s not on your driving licence.

What you need to do about your provisional licence
The changes mean that you’ll get extra provisional categories when you apply for your provisional licence for a coach or bus.

What you need to do depends on when DVLA processes your application for a provisional licence.

If you already have a provisional vocational licence or if DVLA processes your application before 15 November
Your provisional licence will not be automatically upgraded to allow you tow if either:

you already have a provisional licence

  • DVLA processes your application for a provisional licence before 15 November
  • You will need to apply to DVLA from 15 November to get your provisional licence upgraded so you can take a trailer test without first taking a rigid test.

If DVLA processes your first provisional vocational licence from 15 November

  • If DVLA processes your first provisional vocational licence from 15 November you’ll automatically be allowed to tow a trailer as a provisional licence holder.

Changes to the Driver CPC part 3 (driving ability) test
The Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC) part 3 (driving ability) test is 1 of the 4 tests you have to pass to drive a lorry or bus for a living.

The test is going to be split into 2 parts from 15 November 2021:

Driver CPC part 3a (off-road exercises) test
Driver CPC part 3b (on-road driving) test
Until the rules change, you need to continue following the existing rules about learning to drive an HGV or bus.

Driver CPC part 3a (off-road exercises) test
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) will allow training organisations to carry out the Driver CPC part 3a test.

The person who trains you will not be allowed to carry out your Driver CPC part 3a test – it will need to be another trainer.

The off-road exercises will still include:

an ‘S’ shaped reverse into a bay
showing the uncoupling and recoupling procedure if you’re taking a test with a trailer
The test will still be assessed to the same standard.

You will need to pass the Driver CPC part 3a test before you can take the Driver CPC part 3b test.

Driver CPC part 3b (on-road driving) test
DVSA will continue to provide the Driver CPC part 3b test.

The test will still include:

vehicle safety questions (known as the ‘show me, tell me’ questions)
practical on-road driving
The driving test appointment time will reduce slightly because the off-road exercises will have already been tested.

TfL signs new contract for FORS

TfL has signed a new contract with Sopra Steria to run the Fleet Operator Recognition Scheme (FORS), which works to make vehicle fleets across the UK safer and greener. Although predominately for freight operators, the scheme is also open to those who operate fleets of coaches and buses too.

The new contract will begin in January 2022 and will last for five years, with Sopra Steria taking over from the current administrators AECOM.

FORS, which was created by TfL in 2008, is an accreditation scheme recognising freight and fleet safety and environmental standards.

The voluntary scheme audits fleet operators and awards bronze, silver and gold accreditations by asking them to demonstrate exceptional levels of best practice in safety and efficiency.

Further information about FORS can be found on their website.

A40 Westway, London – Roadworks until July 2022

Transport for London (TfL) will be undertaking works to repair some joints on the A40 Westway in Westbourne Park/Ladbroke Grove area (between White City and Marylebone) from the end of October 2021 to July 2022.

These will consist of:

  • Lane restrictions in both directions 24 hours a day, seven days a week  for the full project with a 30mph speed limit in the immediate area of the work
  • Eastbound directional closures from October 2021 to March 2022 (see below for dates)
  • Westbound directional closures from March 2022 to July 2022 (see below for dates)

Signed diversions will be broadly via the A3220, A4, Park Lane and Edgware Road. However when possible, traffic will be diverted via the A406 and A4.

This is likely to cause some significant delays during peak times. Coach operators should allow extra time to complete their journeys and avoid the area where possible.

Eastbound closures (into London)
Saturday 30 October 2021 22:00 to Sunday 31 October 2021 08:00
Saturday 13 November 2021 22:00 to Sunday 14 November 2021 08:00
Friday 19 November 2021 22:00 to Monday 22 November 2021 05:00
Friday 3 December 2021 22:00 to Monday 6 December 2021 05:00
Friday 10 December 2021 22:00 to Monday 13 December 2021 05:00
Saturday 8 January 2022 22:00 to Sunday 9 January 2022 08:00
Saturday 15 January 2022 22:00 to Sunday 16 January 2022 08:00
Saturday 22 January 2022 22:00 to Sunday 23 January 2022 08:00
Friday 28 January 2022 22:00 to Monday 31 January 2022 05:00
Saturday 5 February 2022 22:00 to Sunday 6 February 2022 08:00
Friday 11 February 2022 22:00 to Monday 14 February 2022 05:00
Friday 18 February 2022 22:00 to Monday 21 February 2022 05:00
Friday 25 February 2022 22:00 to Monday 28 February 2022 05:00
Friday 4 March 2022 22:00 to Monday 7 March 2022 05:00
Friday 11 March 2022 22:00 to Monday 14 March 2022 05:00 (only if required)
Friday 18 March 2022 22:00 to Monday 21 March 2022 05:00 (only if required)

Westbound Closures (out of London)
Friday 11 March 2022 22:00 to Monday 14 March 2022 05:00
Friday 18 March 2022 22:00 to Monday 21 March 2022 05:00
Friday 25 March 2022 22:00 to Monday 28 March 2022 05:00
Saturday 2 April 2022 22:00 to Sunday 3 April 2022 08:00
Saturday 9 April 2022 22:00 to Sunday 10 April 2022 08:00
Saturday 23 April 2022 22:00 to Sunday 24 April 2022 08:00
Friday 6 May 2022 22:00 to Monday 9 May 2022 05:00
Saturday 14 May 2022 22:00 to Sunday 15 May 2022 08:00
Friday 20 May 2022 22:00 to Monday 23 May 2022 05:00
Friday 27 May 2022 22:00 to Monday 30 May 2022 05:00
Friday 10 June 2022 22:00 to Monday 13 June 2022 05:00
Friday 17 June 2022 22:00 to Monday 20 June 2022 05:00
Friday 24 June 2022 22:00 to Monday 27 June 2022 05:00 (only if required)
Friday 1 July 2022 22:00 to Monday 4 July 2022 05:00 (only if required)
Friday 8 July 2022 22:00 to Monday 11 July 2022 05:00 (only if required)
Friday 15 July 2022  22:00 to Monday 18 July 2022 05:00 (only if required)

There is no work planned during the following weekends

– 27/28 November 2021 (Black Friday)
– 18/19 December 2021 (Christmas Shopping)
– 25/26 December 2021 (Christmas)
– 1/2 January 2022 (New Year)
– 16/17 April 2022 (Easter Weekend)
– 30 April /1 May 2022 (May Day Bank holiday weekend)
– 04/05 June 2022 (Queen’s Jubilee Bank holiday weekend)

Coach Parking In Central Bath Closes

Coach Parking and Drop-Off

There are no facilities for coach parking in central Bath. 

The Riverside Coach Park closed on 2nd November 2020, which was required to facilitate the development of Bath Quays North, the Council’s flagship regeneration project, that will create a new business district providing much needed high-quality offices and new jobs.

A new coach park has already been provided at Odd Down Park & Ride, providing 29 spaces for coaches to layover once they have dropped off in the city centre.

Coach drop off/pick-up will be re-provided on-street at Pulteney Road and Royal Avenue. Three bays will be provided at each location and will operate between 8am and 7pm. Waiting time is limited to 20 minutes (no return within one hour), except for two bays on Pulteney Road, which will be limited to 90 minutes waiting (no return within three hours).

This will increase the existing provision at:

  • Terrace Walk – close to major attractions and the busiest drop-off/pick-up location, ten minutes maximum waiting, capacity for two large coaches
  • North Parade – opposite Terrace Walk, ten minutes maximum waiting, capacity for two large coaches
  • James St West

These locations have been selected as they are within walking distance of key visitor attractions and are already used during Bath Christmas Market and match days for Bath Rugby.

Once the passengers have disembarked from the coach the driver should follow the signs to Odd Down Coach Park where there is a large and secure site for coach parking.

Odd Down Coach Park

Odd Down Park and Ride, Bath, BA2 8PD

Opening Times

24 hours a day all year (except for the duration of Bath Christmas Market)

Charges

Day rate charge of £1 – covers any period up to 24 hours and runs from midnight to midnight

Facilities

  • Toilets (charges apply)
  • Water supply
  • Coach toilet waste disposal
  • Park and Ride buses available for drivers to travel to/from the city centre – standard charges apply

Find Out More

Weston Island

Weston Island, Lower Bristol Road, Bath, BA2 9ES

Opening Times

9:30pm to 6pm

Charges

  • Two hours – £5
  • Four hours – £8
  • Six hours – £11
  • Eight hours – £14
  • Over eight hours – £16

Payment

  • Cashless Parking through MiPermit
  • Onsite payment by cash

Facilities

  • Toilets
  • Washroom
  • Vending Machines
  • Free return bus to the city centre

Find Out More

Contact Information

Click here for more information.

Parking Services
PO Box 5197
Bath
BA1 0UF
01225 477133 or 477134
[email protected] 

New 20 mph speed limits on all TfL roads in central London

TfL have introduced reduced speed limits across 8.9km of London roads within the Congestion Charging Zone from Monday 2 March 2020. This is a significant move to reduce road danger across the capital. The new 20mph speed limits will be enforced across all TfL roads within the Congestion Charging Zone and are supported by new signage and road markings.

Raised pedestrian crossings are being installed in prominent locations where a high number of people walk, including near Embankment and Tower Hill Underground stations and outside the Tate Britain. TfL have recalibrated all the speed cameras in central London and will work closely with the Metropolitan Police to ensure that drivers are complying with the new safer speed limits.

The roads where the new 20 mph speed limit applies are:
• Albert Embankment
• Lambeth Palace Road, Lambeth Bridge
• Millbank
• Victoria Embankment
• Upper Thames Street, Lower Thames Street, Byward Street, Tower Hill
• Borough High Street, Great Dover Street
• Blackfriars Road
• Part of Druid Street (between Tower Bridge Road and Crucifix Lane), Crucifix Lane, part of
Bermondsey Street (between Crucifix Lane and Tooley Street)
• Part of Tooley Street (between Duke Street Hull and Tower Bridge Road), Duke Street Hill, Part
of Queen Elizabeth Street (between Tooley Street and Tower Bridge Road)
• Aldgate Gyratory, including Leman Street, Prescot Street, Mansell Street, Minories and
Goodman’s Yard, which is on the boundary of the CCZ rather than within it.

This should not have too much impact on coach drivers in London and with the large number of road junctions and traffic signals, which automatically slow down traffic, in practice it should not make much difference to overall journey times.

Speed is a factor in around 37% of collisions in London where a person dies or is seriously injured, which is why reducing the speed limit is key to the Mayor’s Vision Zero commitment to eliminate death and serious injury from London’s transport network by 2041.