Braking performance assessment requirements from April 2025

In a significant move to enhance road safety, the UK’s Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has announced that, effective April 2025, there is an expectation that every safety inspection will include a brake performance assessment using either an RBT, a suitable electronic brake performance monitoring system (EBPMS) or a decelerometer with temperature readings. If EBPMS is not used it is expected there is a minimum of four laden brake tests spread evenly across the year, this can include the annual test.

Acceptable reasons for not carrying out a laden brake assessment.

Vehicles where laden brake assessments may not be possible or where additional loading would be difficult are listed below (this is not an exhaustive list), however there is an expectation that at least four of the assessments will use an RBT unless the construction or weight of the vehicle prevents its use.

Vehicles where under normal operating conditions (more than 70% of the time) run at less than 65% of the permitted axle weights. This may include car transporters where they are designed for that specific task
Furniture removal vehicles – Only when designed and constructed as a furniture removal vehicle
ADR – Only when the load is considered dangerous and specialist facilities are not available
Vehicles operating at 50% or more of permitted axle weights when unladen – This could include fixed plant, mobile libraries, compactor vehicles, exhibition type vehicles, bullion vehicles, etc.

Where a laden brake test is not carried out a risk assessment detailing the reasons, must be completed by a competent person who understands braking systems and its components at every safety inspection.

There must be an evaluation of the vehicle/ trailer performance report before every safety inspection by a competent person who can interpret the data. The evaluation must be signed, dated, and attached to the vehicle record together with the performance data report. The evaluation and data report may be a single document.

To allow flexibility vehicles can be presented for brake testing up to 14 days before the safety inspection date; this allows the operator to conduct a laden brake test during the vehicle/trailer normal activities without the need to specially load it.

Reliable brake testing is crucial to ensure road safety, helping to identify any potential brake issues that may lead to accidents on the road, minimising risks to the HGV drivers and other road users.

What does this update mean for you?

To follow best practice and comply with the proposed new legislation, the DVSA expect that with every safety inspection a brake performance assessment is completed with an RBT, suitable electronic brake performance monitoring system (EBPMS) or using a decelerometer and taking temperature readings as the sole method for evaluating brake performance.

In some cases, a loaded brake test may be impractical. As such, if a vehicle or trailer consistently operates under specific conditions, exemptions may apply. Examples include:

ADR vehicles: when the load is considered dangerous, and specialist facilities are unavailable.
Livestock carriers: when recreating the load is not possible.
Noxious load carriers: only if the vehicle is specifically designed for this purpose.
Furniture removal vehicles: only if the vehicle is specifically designed for this purpose.
Public service vehicles: this includes prisoner transfer vehicles.
Vehicles that operate at 50% or more of permitted axle weight when unladen. This could include fixed plant, mobile libraries, compactor vehicles or bullion transport vehicles.
Vehicles that more than 70% of the time run at less than 65% of the permitted axle weights, these may include car transporters or unladen tri-axle semi-trailers.

For businesses running vehicles not fitted with an EBPMS (currently only available on trailers) or exempt, a minimum of four laden RBT assessments are required, these are to be spread evenly across the year and include the existing requirement to conduct a RBT at each MOT test. To ensure minimal disruption, these tests can be completed as early as 14 days before the next safety inspection date.

A risk assessment (example here) must be available to support every safety inspection where a laden brake test is not completed. The operator will still be responsible for a risk assessment is in place to justify any exemption. This assessment should be:

Available to review during every safety inspection.

Updated annually, or whenever there is a change in vehicle use.

Retained with vehicle maintenance documents for 15 months.

What Should Our Customers Do?

At Mac’s Truck Rental, we are dedicated to providing safe and roadworthy vehicles to our customers and as part of this dedication we will be working with our customers to ensure they re-main compliant.

To achieve this, we will continue to complete our standard 4 laden RBTs per year across our managed fleets, while supporting our customers’ unique operational needs but will offer an increase in the frequency of the laden brake tests being conducted at the customer’s request. (Conditions apply).

We will be available to assist our customers, offering advice on how the new requirements affect their operations, any potential cost implications and providing information on keeping their own fleet in compliance.

For more information on the Braking performance assessment requirements from April 2025 and further reading please see below links.

Guide to maintaining roadworthiness: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6751b5d044885d072cecbd62/guide-to-maintaining-roadworthiness-commercial-goods-and-public-service-vehicles.pdf

Brake test risk assessment: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/67362fbaf6920bfb5abc7bc1/annex-7-example-of-a-brake-assessment-risk-assessment-template.pdf

Understanding your HGV or trailer’s brake test report: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/understanding-your-hgv-or-trailers-brake-test-report/understanding-your-hgv-or-trailers-brake-test-report

EBPMS Industry Standard Specification:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/electronic-braking-performance-monitoring-systems/electronic-braking-performance-monitoring-system-ebpms-industry-standard-specification

Fill in your details below to get more information from the team at Mac’s Truck Rental, whether you’re looking into contract hire or simply want to know more about one of our trucks.

The prevalence of potholes on UK roads has been steadily rising over the past few years, causing significant disruptions and frustrations for commuters and motorists. Many individuals have raised their concerns, highlighting the adverse effects of these road damages on their journeys and road safety. According to information obtained by the Liberal Democrats through Freedom of Information requests, certain councils in England are facing significant delays in repairing potholes after they have been reported. On average, it takes these councils over a month to address the pothole issues. Shockingly, some individual potholes have been left unattended for a staggering 567 days before finally receiving repairs.

In response to the growing concern, here at Mac’s Truck Rental, we have created the “Comprehensive 2023 Pothole Analysis Report”. This meticulously assesses and ranks various regions across the UK based on the severity of pothole problems they face. The report features a top 5 list, shedding light on the areas most affected by potholes and their impact on road safety and transportation. Furthermore, the report also delves into the issue of delayed repairs. Bringing to the forefront the regions with the longest waiting times for potholes to be fixed.

By unveiling these findings, we aim to raise awareness about the urgency of addressing the pothole menace and urges relevant authorities to take prompt action in repairing and maintaining the road networks. The report’s data-driven approach empowers communities to advocate for improved road safety and conditions for everyone.

Unveiling the Top 5 Pothole-Plagued Regions in the UK

1. Derbyshire – 90,596 potholes

When it comes to the pothole county of the UK, Derbyshire holds the unenviable top position on the list with a staggering 90,596 recorded potholes in the previous year. This number is a glaring 34% higher than the region that came in second place. The data highlights the persistent and pressing issue that Derbyshire faces in addressing and managing the abundance of potholes on its roads, signifying the need for comprehensive measures to tackle this ongoing problem.

2. Lancashire – 67,439 potholes

Lancashire, encompassing significant urban areas like Manchester, finds itself alarmingly high on the pothole chart. Last year, the region reported a substantial count of 67,439 potholes. Although it falls behind Derbyshire’s astounding figures, Lancashire’s numbers remain notably concerning, indicating that the pothole problem extends beyond one region and requires attention at a broader level.

3. Northumberland – 51,703 potholes

Securing the third spot in this pothole tally is Northumberland, an area predominantly located in the Northeast of England. With a recorded total of 51,703 potholes in 2022, Northumberland faces its share of challenges in maintaining road quality and safety.

4. Surry – 43,191 potholes

Ranking fourth on the list is Surrey, a county situated in the Southeast of England. Surrey registered a significant number of 43,191 potholes last year, underscoring the gravity of the issue even in areas known for their affluence and development.

5. Cornwall – 24,191 potholes

Taking the fifth spot on the list is Cornwall, a picturesque region in the Southwest of England. Despite being noticeably lower in pothole count compared to Surrey, Cornwall still recorded a substantial 24,191 potholes in the same period. While the number is less than half of Surrey’s count, it underscores that pothole prevalence remains a concern throughout various parts of the UK, even in idyllic locales like Cornwall.

Top 10 regions with most potholes

Rank	Region	Number of potholes
1	Derbyshire	90,596
2	Lancashire	67,439
3	Northumberland	51,703
4	Surrey	43,191
5	Cornwall	24,191
6	North Yorkshire	22,094
7	West Sussex	21,785
8	Staffordshire	20,764
9	Somerset	19,299
10	East Sussex	13,081

Full table and data can be found here.

Areas with worst average times to fix a pothole

Rank	Region	Days waited
1	Newham	56 days
2	Lambeth	50 days
3	Stoke-On-Trent	48 days
4	Norfolk	39.93 days
5	Northeast Lincolnshire	34 days
6	Westminster	30 days
7	Southampton	29.95 days
8	West Sussex	29.66 days
9	Hammersmith & Fulham	28 days
10	Suffolk	26.9 days

Full table and data can be found here.

Areas with longest average time to fix individual potholes

Rank	Region	Day waited
1	Stoke-on-Trent	567 days
2	Westminster	560 days
3	Norfolk	482 days
4	East Sussex	463 days
5	Wiltshire	453 days
6	Warickshire	304 days
7	Lambeth	300 days
8	Suffolk	296 days
9	Shropshire	285 days
10	West Sussex	273.48 days

Methodology

Us and our digital marketing agency found common hotspots for potholes across the UK, using data from the RAC.

Also, the Liberal Democrats FOI request shown the amount of potholes that were reported from 81 councils in the UK. This shows the rise of potholes compared to 5 years before.