Motorhome and campervan drivers could face new driving licence changes following landmark petition

The campaign seeks to raise the current weight threshold for Category B licence holders, who are presently restricted to driving vehicles with a maximum mass of 3,500kg.

Petitioners argued existing legislation unnecessarily limits the range of motorhomes available to ordinary drivers, pointing out that many vehicles just above the current weight limit feature automatic transmissions that could benefit people with disabilities.

The push comes after the European Union formally adopted changes to its driving licence directive, with the 4th Directive passing through the European Parliament and Council in October.

Under present regulations, motorists who obtained their driving licence after 1997, along with older drivers over the age of 70, face restrictions on the size of the leisure vehicle they can legally operate.

These drivers can only get behind the wheel of motorhomes with a maximum authorised mass no greater than 3,500kg.

The petition argued that this weight ceiling significantly narrows the choice of motorhomes accessible to the majority of British drivers.

Supporters of the change highlighted numerous motorhomes weighing slightly more than the current limit to come equipped with automatic gearboxes, which could prove particularly beneficial for motorists living with disabilities.

The Government introduced a partial relaxation in June this year, permitting Category B licence holders to drive vehicles up to 4,250kg, but only if they produce zero emissions.

The European directive that petitioners want Britain to mirror was published in the Official Journal of the European Union in November and is now legally binding across member states.

Under the new European framework, Category B licence holders will be permitted to drive motor caravans weighing up to 4,250kg, representing a 750kg increase from the previous ceiling.

However, the directive stipulates that drivers wishing to operate vehicles exceeding 3,500kg must complete either a training course or pass a skills assessment.

Individual European nations retain the authority to determine whether they will mandate training, testing, or a combination of both requirements.

The directive also extended towing permissions, allowing Category B motorhome drivers to haul combinations weighing up to 5,000kg, subject to the same training or testing conditions.

The National Caravan Council has been actively campaigning for the UK to adopt the European changes and has engaged in discussions with the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency to secure an early decision on implementation.

The industry body has lobbied for the weight limit increase in recent years and anticipated the Government would follow suit, as it has previously adopted amendments to the EU Driving Licence Directive despite Brexit removing any obligation to do so.

Meanwhile, the Department for Transport has been scrutinising the directive's text to assess its implications for motorists travelling on the continent and whether similar rules should apply domestically.

The DfT announced in August that a new Road Safety Strategy would be published later this autumn, the first in over a decade, and the directive is expected to be considered within that context.

Some supporters have welcomed the proposal, with one commenter noting they had signed the petition after it was brought to their attention.

Others have expressed strong opposition, arguing that vehicles of this weight demand specialist driving abilities due to their handling characteristics in varying road conditions.