Member News – 28 January 2026

28 January 2026

Your weekly member email from Logistics UK sharing the latest updates addressing industry-relevant developments, legislation and compliance updates and campaigns to help you stay informed.

In this issue:

• Regulatory flexibility for zero-emission vans – legislation laid in Parliament.
• Northern Ireland to introduce Graduated Driving Licences.
• Transport for London (TfL) launches 5-year plan to cut congestion – ‘London on the Move’.
• Safe Loading Pass Scheme (SLPS) Terminal Checks.
• Member Advice Centre closure on 5 February.
• Logistics Industry Survey – please share your views.
• NaVCIS Freight Bulletin.

Regulatory flexibility for zero-emission vans – legislation laid in Parliament

The Department for Transport has confirmed it has laid down in Parliament the draft Statutory Instruments required to introduce the regulatory flexibilities for zero-emission vehicles up to 4.25 tonnes that Logistics UK requested in the 2025.

consultation. It is hoped that the draft legislation will become law by March 2026, however, members are required to adhere to the current rules on the use of the vehicles until the regulations have been amended.

The changes introduce into legislation the legal definition of a ‘zero-emission vehicle’ (ZE) and this will mean a vehicle without an internal combustion engine, or with an internal combustion engine that has emissions of CO₂ of zero grammes per kilometre. Additional changes to regulations will then affect the testing of these zero-emission vehicles and the use of a tachograph and drivers’ hours.

Vehicle testing – ZE vehicles up to 4.25t will be treated in the same way as its internal combustion engine equivalent vehicle up to 3.5t. ZE vehicles will move into the Class 7 MOT scheme and will no longer be subject to heavy vehicle roadworthiness testing and will follow the Class 7 tyre tread requirements.

Tachograph and drivers’ hours – ZE vehicles up to 4.25t will be exempt from tachograph and assimilated drivers’ hours rules. A battery electric vehicle towing a trailer, with a combined weight of no greater than 7.5t, must remain within the current 100kms from base radius to benefit from this exemption.

A full list of the regulatory amendments laid in Parliament can be found here.

Northern Ireland to introduce Graduated Driving Licences

The Department for Infrastructure in Northern Ireland has announced its intention to bring in Graduated Driving Licences (GDL) into law, a first within the UK, by 1 October 2026, as part of its Road Safety Strategy Action Plan. The plans include the following points:

• A mandatory minimum learning period of six months before a learner driver can undertake their practical driving test.
• A programme of training that details the learning required to become a safe driver, and which must be completed and recorded in a logbook before a learner driver can undertake their practical driving test.
• An increase in the restriction period from the current 12 months to 24 months requiring new drivers to display a distinguishing mark (plate) on the vehicle for two years after receiving a full licence.
• A period of six months with nighttime driving restrictions for new drivers under 24.
• Age related nighttime passenger restrictions for newly qualified drivers, with exemption for immediate family members.
• GDL permits ‘L’ drivers to drive on a motorway as long as they are accompanied by an Approved Driving Instructor. Once the learner passes their test, they will be issued with the new ‘R’ plate which also allows them to drive on a motorway, where they can drive up to the posted speed limit.

Further details of the Northern Irish plans can be found here.

Transport for London (TfL) launches 5-year plan to cut congestion – ‘London on the Move’

TfL launched this week its new 5-year plan, entitled ‘London on the Move’, which is designed to cut congestion and transform use of London’s road network. Full details of this initiative can be found here.

Whilst a great deal of the publication is targeted at improving bus services within the capital by using AI systems to monitor traffic cameras, there are several initiatives that could affect members who perform street works in London, and those who use the road network to deliver goods and services. One such initiative is to expand the lane rental scheme to borough roads, which is currently only applicable to the TfL Red Routes. This would apply a daily charge to roadworks on the local road network, with the aim of challenging the duration of road closures, and reinvesting any surplus into mitigation measures for the disruption caused by the road works. Four boroughs have already received approval to use the scheme (Camden, Lambeth, Enfield, and Merton) and a further 22 are progressing their applications. 

Safe Loading Pass Scheme (SLPS) Terminal Checks

The Management Group of the SLPS has issued an update on the Terminal Check project. The project will enhance the existing scheme, which is an integral part of participating fuel terminal’s safety management system.

Terminal organisations and fuel tanker vehicle operators are invited to complete online surveys to be set up on the system ahead of the phased roll-out.

A copy of the communication can be found here.

Member Advice Centre closure on 5 February

Please note that the Member Advice Centre (MAC) will be closed on Thursday 5 February for team training.

The MAC will be collating voice and email messages during this period and will process them from 9:00 on Friday 6 February.

Our apologies for any inconvenience caused.

Logistics Industry Survey – please share your views

The Logistics Report is Logistics UK’s annual review of the trends affecting the logistics industry in the UK. It provides an up-to-date assessment of the issues those moving goods are facing, across all modes of transport and parts of UK logistics. Logistics underpins the whole economy – nothing moves without it.

Headline findings from the 2025 report found that the sector generates £170 billion for the UK economy and employs over 8% of the UK workforce.

To receive a complimentary copy of the Logistics Report 2026, when published in June, members are invited to complete the Logistics Industry Survey, which underpins much of the analysis.

Complete the survey before it closes on 31 January, here.

DVSA phone lines centre hours

From 2 February, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) phone lines will be open between 08:00 and 17:00, Monday to Friday.

This change is a result of 98% of calls to DVSA being made between 08:00-17:00 and is designed to provide a better service for customers.

The customer service centre can also be contacted using WhatsApp message.

To use it, put the number +44 (0)1908 787001 into WhatsApp. It will only work with messages and will not work with calls.

Messages can be sent any time, even if the customer service centre is closed. DVSA will reply when open.

Members can still choose to contact DVSA in other ways:

• X (formerly Twitter)
• Facebook
• [email protected]
• telephone: 0300 200 1122

NaVCIS Freight Bulletin

The fortnightly NaVCIS Freight Crime Intelligence Bulletin provides relevant and up to date information and intelligence to police and the logistics industry for the prevention and detection of crime.

Average EU and UK forecourt prices

Please find the average EU and UK forecourt prices here.