NEW DRIVING REGULATIONS

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30760, 26 May 1965, Page 3

NEW DRIVING REGULATIONS

fN.Z. Press Association) WELLINGTON, May 25. New regulations affecting holders of driver's licences for powercycles, omnibuses and passenger service vehicles, and drivers who tow heavy trailers will take effect on June 1. the Transport Department advised today.

All action called for by the new regulations must be carried out by December 31 of this year, the department said in a statement.

The power-cycle licence will cease to exist, and all twowheeled motor-vehicles will be classed as motor-cycles for driver’s licence purposes. Persons with power-cycle licences will be required within the first seven months of 1966 to sign a statement to their local authority certifying they have had experience in riding a power-cycle. The licence will then be ex-

tended to cover the new class of motor-cycle licence. A person who has only a power-cycle licence but no other class of vehicle on his licence, will automatically be granted the new class of motor-cycle licence on request.

A new class of heavy trailer licence will be required by any person who tows an implement, caravan or other trailer which together with any load on it weighs more

than two tons and a half, the department advised. The holder of an existing articulated licence will automatically be granted a heavy trailer licence and does not need to take any action to ! get one. ■ Drivers who do not hold lan articulated licence, but wish to tow a heavy trailer behind any other kind of vehicle, have until December 31 to sign a statement certi fying they have experience in towing the trailer, and to carry out a practical test to demonstrate their ability. The local authority will extend the licence to include the new class of heavy trailer licence. The holder of a passenger service vehicle licence is permitted to drive a heavy truck as a passenger service vehicle whether or not he holds a heavy trade motor licence.

A driver in this category who wishes to drive a heavy truck as a passenger vehicle after December 31 has until that date to certify he is experienced and may obtain a free practical driving test. I Upon passing the test the

driver will have his licence extended to include “heavy trade motor.”

Existing holders of powercycle licences who do not meet the new regulations will not be legally entitled to ride a power cycle after the end of the year.

If they later wish to do so they will be required to take all the usual tests for a motor-cycle licence. Drivers failing to meet the heavy trailer licence requirement will not be legally entitled to tow a heavy trailer after December 31, and if subsequently wishing to do so will be treated as new applicants.