Three new driving laws coming into force in April – don’t be surprised

DRIVERS have been warned about three new road laws coming into force this month.

The changes include changes to road taxes and even hefty fines for some motorists if they don’t obey the rules – here’s what you need to know.

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EV Overage Fees

Electric vehicle (EV) owners could face hefty fines if regulations are in place to prevent them from hogging much-needed charging points.

Parking your vehicle too long at a port can incur charges of up to £30 depending on where you live.

Glasgow City Council has already imposed this fee, while other local authorities are imposing £20 overstay fees, according to The Mirror.

Popular EV maker Tesla is also including an “idle charge” where drivers are charged 50p per minute if they exceed their timeslot.

This increases to £1 per minute if the station has no other vacancies.

tax rates

New road tax rates came into effect on April 1, raising the cost of almost all vehicles.

Newly registered vehicles face charges of up to £2,605 for more polluting petrol and diesel models, up £240 on last year.

Owners of the least polluting vehicles pay just £30 instead of £25.

For vehicles registered between March 2001 and April 2017, high pollution vehicles pay £695 upfront or £729.75 in monthly installments, versus £630 and £661.50 respectively.

This does not apply to electric vehicles, which are exempt from vehicle tax until 2025

Powers of the Council

Some municipalities will be given new powers in spring to impose fines for “traffic offences”.

Such offenses include driving in a bus lane or making an illegal U-turn.

Reading and Hampshire residents are said to see their councils have the power to impose fines ranging from £20 to £150, although the latter is mainly reserved as punishment for failure to pay existing fines.