Relaxing haulage rules for international car transporters

The department would like to introduce new secondary legislation which will allow ministers to selectively relax the application of EU cabotage rules in Great Britain (GB), specifically aimed at non-GB car transporters at the peak car registration periods.

The relaxation of the rules would mean that such vehicles would not be liable to enforcement action if they broke the EU cabotage rules during the designated peak periods.

Background information on EU cabotage rules

Cabotage is a domestic road haulage operation undertaken by non-resident hauliers on a temporary basis. Translated into domestic law, this resulted in non-GB goods vehicles being limited to carrying out no more than 3 loaded operations within a 7 day period of arrival in GB. After 3 loaded domestic journeys or 7 days the vehicle must leave and re-enter GB with a new international load to be able to undertake another 3 domestic journeys.