Currently reading: New law for banned drivers
UK bans will be recoginsed in Ireland and vice versa

The government has announced a new law to keep disqualified drivers off UK and Irish roads.

From today, motorists banned from driving in the UK will also be banned from Ireland. Similarly, Irish drivers banned in their home country will also be banned from driving on UK roads.

The agreement between British, Irish and Northern Irish ministers is the first step towards recognising driving bans across Europe, a requirement of the 1998 European Convention on driving disqualifications.

Road safety minister Paul Clark said the new law was an important step in making the UK’s roads safer.

“We need to continue to work to make our roads even safer and if a UK driver commits a serious offence while in Ireland it is right that their ban should still apply when they return home,” he said.

“From today this new law will ensure that disqualified drivers are not able to escape their punishment and so keep dangerous drivers off the roads.”

Twitter - follow autocar.co.uk

Join the debate

Comments
4
Add a comment…
tannedbaldhead 28 January 2010

Re: New law for banned drivers

Stephen Guckel wrote:
remember driving quite happily at 80mph in the 1980s' and I was overtaken by the 90 mph merchants who simply slowed down when a Police patrol was happened upon.

In the olden days Scottish motorways were so quiet at nights you could drive for miles without seeing another car. I applied a rule that every set of lights in front or behind me was assumed to be a police car, during the day every Rover SD1, Ford Granada, and Vauxhall Senetor should be assumed to be an unmarked police car and when driving at warp speed you would slow down every time you see a car in the distance till you were sure what it is. Watch for two interior mirrors, additional radio antenna, check drivers for shoulders for pips, be wary or large, short haired men driving with a "yes I do own the road" driving style to confirm a Police driver. Never ever speed in 30mph zones.

The result of driving to these rules enabled me to drive a Mazda RX7 Turbo, VW Corrado, Sierra 2.9i 4x4 a Kawasaki GPZ 900 and ZZR 600 as fast as they would go and to do so on a daily basis without encoring a single penalty point till cameras hit the roads.

Vidge 123 28 January 2010

Re: New law for banned drivers

Old Toad wrote:

Poppycock !

Who is going to enforce this ? When did you last see the disappearing species called a traffic copper let alone be stopped by one.

Typical political soundbite nonsense. Ah but we can replace the expensive old bill with cameras huh.

i completely agree! i have had a clean licence for 8 years since i passed my test (age 17) But if i were to go though a speed camera at 5mph over the limit i would be branded a criminal, whereas someone who has lost their licence, and thus has no insurance driving a car that (most likely) untaxed drives past the same camera at the limit and gets not punishment at all! Whereas should we both be pulled over by a real person, and not some revenue raising camera, then clearly the real law breaker would be found out! oh sorry my mistake, i forgot people cost money, and cameras make it!

Old Toad 28 January 2010

Re: New law for banned drivers

Poppycock !

Who is going to enforce this ? When did you last see the disappearing species called a traffic copper let alone be stopped by one.

Typical political soundbite nonsense. Ah but we can replace the expensive old bill with cameras huh.