OLCIS eNews – August 2026

Welcome to the August edition of Logistics UK’s Operator Licensing Compliance Information Service (OLCIS) eNews update. This document is a monthly round-up of transport news items sent out as part of your OLCIS subscription. Its objective is to keep you up to date with news affecting your commercial vehicle operation. To view previous editions and access your other subscription benefits, visit the dedicated OLCIS hub.

We welcome any comments and suggestions for new topics you would like to see included within OLCIS eNews. Contact Customer Services with any feedback.

New regulations increase the category B weight limit for ZEGVs in NI

DVSA is aware of the issue and working towards fixing it, however in the meantime, operators can use the vehicle’s date of first registration to determine when its first Class 7 MOT is due. The DVSA has advised that, where an expired MOT banner is displayed, this may relate to the previous HGV testing regime rather than the vehicle’s current legal testing requirement.

Since then, National Highways has worked with local authorities, freight operators and other stakeholders to develop a safe way of returning HGVs to the crossing. Updated traffic modelling has shown that freight vehicles can return to the bridge under a managed traffic system.

From January 2027, the new system will ensure vehicles are sufficiently spaced out across the bridge.

Some temporary traffic management will be required while the new arrangements are installed and commissioned, and details will be communicated through the usual channels as works progress.

National Highways also carried out a resurfacing trial on the bridge during 2026 to test a lightweight surfacing solution suitable for the structure. Subject to the outcome of that trial, full resurfacing of both carriageways is planned from 2027 and is expected to continue into 2028.

National Highways appreciates that this will have an impact on the freight industry and the wider community who have been most affected. National Highways can be contacted via email here. For further information, please see M48 Severn Bridge weight restriction.

The latest Logistics UK briefing note explains the key risks and practical steps operators can take to remain compliant. Members can find the briefing note here or contact the Member Advice Centre for a copy: telephone 0370 605 0000 or email [email protected].

As part of the launch, members should have received an email with an invitation to activate their accounts and reset their passwords.

A: Where a vehicle is missing spray suppression equipment, this would likely result in a delayed prohibition, as per DVSA’s categorisation of defects.

If the vehicle is being driven to a repair facility, any enforcement decision would ultimately be at the discretion of the inspecting officer. Factors such as the distance being travelled and whether there is evidence that the vehicle has been booked in for repair may be taken into consideration. Where there is no clear evidence of a planned repair, or the journey is considered excessive, a delayed prohibition would be more likely.

In addition, if the vehicle is deemed unsafe, for example where loose or damaged components could become detached, further enforcement action may be taken.

As a matter of best practice, vehicles should be repaired as soon as the defect is identified, ideally before continuing their journey. This helps maintain compliance, supports road safety, and reduces the risk of enforcement action.

Q: We have a driver that has received an SP30 whilst “off duty” driving their car.  This was committed in May this year but discovered on our routine licence check in July. Could you please confirm we if would need to report this to the Traffic Commissioner’s office?

A: Yes. The conviction should be reported to the Traffic Commissioner, even though the offence occurred while the driver was using a private vehicle and was off duty.

Operators are required to notify the Traffic Commissioner of relevant convictions within 28 days of becoming aware of them. As the offence was identified sometime after it was committed, the Traffic Commissioner may seek clarification as to why the notification falls outside the usual reporting timescale. Maintaining accurate records and documenting when the conviction came to your attention will help demonstrate that appropriate checks and processes are in place.

Logistics UK has a Fact Sheet on notifying the Traffic Commissioner, which can be found here.

Q: One of our directors has heard that driver-facing or in-cab cameras may become a legal requirement for HGVs in the future. Is there any truth to this, and can you provide some clarification on the current position?

A: We are not aware of any plans for driver-facing or in-cab cameras to become a mandatory legal requirement for HGV operators. That said, the use of in-cab camera technology is becoming increasingly common across the industry. Many operators choose to install these systems to support safety, compliance, risk management, driver development, and insurance requirements.

Driver-facing cameras can also provide valuable evidence in the event of an incident or complaint. In situations where a driver is not at fault, footage may help establish the circumstances of the event and support the driver’s account, potentially protecting both the driver and operator from unwarranted claims or allegations.

As with any form of driver monitoring technology, operators should ensure that its use complies with data protection requirements and that drivers are informed about how any footage is collected, stored, and used.

Logistics UK has a Fact Sheet about cameras and data protection, which can be found here.

A recent Traffic Commissioner public inquiry examined a waste and recycling business holding a restricted goods vehicle operator licence authorising the use of 12 vehicles and 14 trailers, with 12 vehicles in possession that were operating from its operating centre. The company operated a fleet of heavy goods vehicles as part of its wider business rather than as a dedicated transport operation.

The case followed a DVSA roadside encounter and subsequent investigation which identified serious concerns about drivers’ hours compliance, tachograph use and the operator’s management controls. The investigation found numerous occasions where vehicles had been driven without driver cards being used correctly, significant amounts of unrecorded mileage and a lack of effective oversight of drivers and vehicles.

The operator accepted that compliance failures had occurred. It explained that the issues arose during a period of internal management difficulties and acknowledged that its systems and controls had fallen below the standards expected of a licence holder.

Interviews with drivers revealed varying levels of understanding of the rules, and, in some cases, admissions that driver cards were intentionally removed to avoid recording excessive duty time. Explanations were inconsistent with the tachograph and ANPR evidence. The Transport Examiner Vehicle report score resulted in an automatic referral to the Office of the Traffic Commissioner.

Evidence

Summing up