Britons should anticipate several changes to driving laws in the coming years following Labour’s sweeping victory in the recent General Election.

Keir Starmer’s party secured a dominant win, capturing 412 seats in an election campaign that saw the Conservatives lose 250 seats and Rishi Sunak removed from the role of Prime Minister.

As Labour prepares to take control of Parliament, motorists will be expecting the new government to implement measures that improve their daily lives, reduce costs, and eliminate obstacles to driving.

Following Labour’s overwhelming election victory, GB News has compiled a list of potential driving law changes and motoring pledges that may be implemented in the near future under the new government.

Fuel duty

Millions of drivers have faced high petrol and diesel costs over the past two years, despite the Conservative Government’s repeated 5p per litre reduction in fuel duty during successive Spring Budgets.

Keir Starmer discussed the future of the fuel duty cut and Labour’s plans to alleviate pressure at the pumps for motorists in an interview with GB News. He told Political Editor Christopher Hope, “Regarding fuel duty, we are acutely aware of its impact. We have consistently supported maintaining the freeze on fuel duty. While it’s reviewed annually in the budget, our track record speaks for itself.”

“We have always advocated for freezing fuel duty, and this stance reflects our longstanding commitment to this issue,” Starmer added.

Car insurance

The cost of motor insurance has been a significant concern for many Britons since the onset of the pandemic, with some drivers seeing average premiums soar to £3,000, while others struggle to find affordable quotes despite having clean driving records.

Louise Haigh, expected to become Transport Secretary under Keir Starmer’s cabinet, emphasized the need for Labour to tackle these high prices. She highlighted that approximately one million people have had to cancel their insurance policies due to unmanageable costs.

To address this issue, Labour plans to call on regulatory bodies such as the Competition and Markets Authority and the Financial Conduct Authority to investigate potential unfair practices by insurers. This includes examining practices like postcode-based pricing, which could disproportionately affect ethnic minorities and those with lower incomes.

Potholes

The new majority party has committed to addressing road maintenance by repairing an additional one million potholes annually, aiming to reduce costly repair expenses. Estimates suggest that there are currently 100 times more potholes on UK roads than craters on the moon.

Previously, Louise Haigh criticized the Conservative approach, stating, “The Tories have allowed potholes to proliferate on Britain’s roads and have stood by as car insurance costs have skyrocketed.”

Labour argues that investing in local road upkeep could yield significant returns, with an estimated benefit of £6.50 for every pound spent, compared to less than £2 from projects like the A27 bypass.

Car ban

Keir Starmer and the Labour Party have actively supported reinstating the original 2030 deadline to ban the sale of new petrol and diesel cars and vans, a commitment they maintained despite Rishi Sunak’s decision to extend the deadline last September as part of broader net zero regulations.

In their “Change” manifesto, Labour pledged to “provide certainty to manufacturers by reverting to the phase-out date of 2030 for new internal combustion engine vehicles.”

Commenting on Rishi Sunak’s initial extension, Labour criticized the sudden and disruptive nature of the decision, emphasizing its potential adverse impact on both drivers and the automotive industry.

Electric cars

Like other political parties, Labour has committed to facilitating a swift expansion of public electric vehicle (EV) chargers.

Current data from Zapmap shows that there are 64,775 public charging devices across the UK at 33,829 different locations, with over 2,000 installations in June 2024 alone. There remains an aspiration to have 300,000 chargers installed nationwide by the end of the decade.

Labour also plans to support buyers of second-hand electric vehicles by standardizing information provided on battery condition. This initiative includes the introduction of EV battery passports, which will be mandatory in the European Union from 2027 onwards.