It comes after a raft of Highway Code changes were revealed earlier this year
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Drivers are being warned about even more driving laws changes which come into force from today. The new laws open the door to more clean air zones, as well as giving local councils more powers.
There are also changes to the laws around electric vehicles. It comes after a raft of Highway Code changes were revealed earlier this year.
From today, councils throughout England and Wales can issue fines for motoring offences. The RAC believes this could bring about an "avalanche of penalty charge notices".
Read more: Laws coming in in 2022
This comes with local authorities under pressure to encourage more people out of their cars. Already, in Birmingham city centre there is a clean air zone in place.
While there aren't similar schemes elsewhere in the West Midlands, there is pressure to improve air quality. The latest changes could bring about new fines.
Up until now, fines for offences such as making an illegal U-turn, driving in a bus lane, driving the wrong way down a one-way street or stopping in a yellow box junction have been enforced by the police. However, from today councils who have applied and been accepted are free to dish out the penalty charge notices (PCNs) instead, some of which could total as much as £1,000.
Nicholas Lyes, head of roads policy for the RAC, said: “[This] could lead to an avalanche of penalty charge notices being wrongly issued and then having to be appealed.”
Another change now in force relates to electric vehicles - specifically the home chargers used to top them up. From June 15, all new homes and buildings will need to have an electric vehicle wall box charger installed. Any new residential buildings with associated parking must have access to electric car charge points too.
Later this month, homes and businesses with a charger already installed will need to have smart charging capability too. This is due to worries about the load on charging infrastructures as more people move to electric cars.
The DfT says it's all part of of efforts to promote cycling and walking, and make the roads safer for all who use them.