Three changes to the law that all drivers should be aware of come into force this month.
Motorists could face a hefty fine if they do not comply.
A penalty charge of up to £1,000 can be issued to drivers who don't follow the new rules.
From caravan and towing changes to Clean Air Zones, these are the three changes coming into force in November that you need to know about, as reported by Birmingham Live.
Clean Air Zone
From November 29, Portsmouth will have a new Clean Air Zone - making it the third city to introduce one.
Hire cars, such as taxis, will need to pay £10 a day to drive in the zone, while coaches and lorries will pay a £50 fee.
The charge will not affect private cars, but it will impact private hire vehicles and some businesses.
Back in September, Portsmouth Council said the scheme was “not a preferred option” to reduce emissions.
They said: “We’ve been working hard to make sure that anyone that may be charged as part of the CAZ has been informed and supported, and in many cases, we’ve been able to offer support for owners to upgrade their non-compliant vehicles.
“We’ve also made sure that systems are all in place ahead of launch so that it goes as smoothly as possible.
“Although a Clean Air Zone is not our preferred option for improving air quality in Portsmouth, we are required by central government to launch the zone.”
Driving licence extensions ending
Due to coronavirus, licences that were due to expire between February and December 2020 were given an automatic 11-month extension.
This means any licences which were due to expire last December will now need to be renewed by the end of November.
However, drivers may be caught out by delays with DVLA services as a result of social distancing measures being in place.
They warn paper applications are taking between six and ten weeks to process but there “may be longer delays”.
Towing changes
There are also changes being made to the law around towing.
Anyone who passed their car driving test after January 1 1997 will be able to tow trailers up to 3,500kg.
Under current rules, drivers who passed after this date had to go through an extra car and trailer test to tow anything heavier.
The DVLA will automatically update your driving licence record to show you can tow trailers.
The new rules will be brought in on November 15
Drivers can be fined £1,000, issued penalty points or even banned from the roads if they tow anything heavier before the law changes.
Some experts still hold concerns over the new rule changes.
Jonathan White, Legal and Compliance Director at the National Accident helpline said they were concerned the changes could “present additional risk”.
