The Government has recently announced changes to the gross vehicle weight allowance set for fuel light commercial vehicles, driven by those with a standard Category B licence. The gross weight allowance has been increased, which the well-known commercial vehicle manufacturer IVECO has welcomed.

The current UK legislation says that a driver must obtain at least a C1 category licence in order to drive a vehicle that has a gross vehicle weight of more than 3.5 tonnes. The proposal that has been put forward by the government will see this maximum allowance increased by 0.75 tonnes to 4.25 tonnes. This would mean that those with a Category B licence will be able to operate LCVs up to 4.25 tonnes without needing to go through additional training, license tests or medical examinations.

This extra weight allowance will also offset the extra weight that is added through the powertrain that is required on natural gas and electric vehicles. This means that the category B licence holders will be able to drive a more sustainable vehicle that has the capacity for 3.5 tonne diesel vehicles. This weight increase will hopefully lead to a larger take up of more sustainable vehicles. It will also remove the challenge for businesses that want to adapt and use innovative vehicles, but are then being faced with the task of providing additional training for their drivers in order to do so.

The vehicle manufacturer IVECO has been working on resolving this issue for a number of years, therefore it is great news that the changes have been proposed by the Government. The manufacturing company have been developing vehicles for the natural gas market since 1996, and is therefore invested in the promotion of more sustainable vehicles across the industry. The Daily Natural Power LCV has been developed by IVECO to meet the most recent Euro IV emissions regulations.