As the aforementioned parties mentioned in their joint statement, The European Parliament’s rapporteur leading the revision of the Driving Licence Directive has proposed a split of the B licence into two categories; a B licence for vehicles weighing up to 1.8 tonnes, and a B+ for vehicles between 1.8 and 3.5 tonnes.
Those opposing the changes say the new system would means most current drivers of electric cars (even compact class battery-electric vehicles weigh over 1.8 tonnes due to the battery), and of larger cars and vans, would be required to obtain a new category of driving licence.
This, it is argued, would affect both private drivers and professional drivers of vans transporting people (taxi services or minibuses) and goods (parcel delivery drivers).
Another criticism is that additional training and examination to obtain the B+ driving licence would trigger “a financial, administrative and practical burden for all current professional drivers and operators who will need adequate requalification”. Commenting on the proposals, IRU Director of EU Advocacy, Raluca Marian, said:
“These amendments fail to consider the real-world implications for driving licences, and pose an actual threat to environmental progress, discouraging the uptake of electric vehicles, as well as the realities and good continuation of transport services. We count on the Parliament’s Transport Committee to support EU citizens, professional drivers and transport companies by rejecting all the newly introduced amendments regarding the B+ category, which artificially and unjustifiably divides the B driving licence into two categories.”
