Certain drivers face £550 fine for driving in London this week due to little-known rule

Motorists getting behind the wheel of certain vehicles will require a special permit to use the roads in London under a major rules update. Transport for London (TfL) has confirmed drivers of Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs) need to have a safety permit from May 4.

The Direct Vision Standard (DVS) and HGV Safety Permit Scheme are a new requirement with grace periods coming to an end from next week. The new DVS requirements measure how much an HGV driver can see directly through their cab windows. Depending on visibility and the supposed risk to road users, vehicles will receive a star rating from zero to five.

This rating will be fixed and dependent on the vehicle design with stars generally awarded at the point of manufacturer.

TfL said: “Whether or not the operator considers the vehicle to meet the standards, all lorries over 12 tonnes Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) entering or operating in Greater London need to hold a valid HGV safety permit before using the area to avoid receiving a PCN.”

Vehicles which previously held a safety permit for a zero, one or two-star rated cars would have expired back in October.

These vehicles must now have the Progressive Safe System fitted to their vehicles to be awarded a new permit.

This requires vehicles to have a variety of safety features installed such as Class V and VI mirrors, a camera monitoring system and blind spot information.

A six-month grace period was offered to operators who needed more time to adapt to the new measures,

However, this comes to an end next week meaning firms must ensure vehicles comply by the rules or face hefty penalties.

Drivers found travelling without a valid permit could be slapped with a penalty charge notice of up to £550. But this can be reduced to £275 if the bill is paid within 14 days.

TfL explained: “If you applied for a grace period before 28 October, and this was granted, you have an additional six months until 23:59 on 4 May 2025 to install the Progressive Safe System and obtain an HGV safety permit.

“You will not receive a PCN in relation to the HGV safety permit scheme for operating a vehicle that is covered by the grace period while it is in force.

“However, we encourage you to apply for a new safety permit as soon as possible after fitting of the Progressive Safe System, as the HGV safety permit scheme will be fully enforced immediately after the grace period ends.”