Braking performance assessment requirements from April 2025

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

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The end of the transitional period of the Brexit process is just one month away. The logistics industry is continuing to operate with a large degree of uncertainty; however, it is clear that haulage firms will be operating with smaller profit margins, making post-Brexit operations more difficult to maintain. Logistics companies need to be aware of changes that affect three business areas; trading with the EU, moving goods in or out of the EU, and vehicle documentation.

New Business Guidelines

UK VAT registered businesses will need a customs registration number to continue to trade with European countries. The documentation your logistics company requires is called the Economic Operator Registration and Identification (EORI). Your company will need this to transport goods in and out of the UK and the EU, following the end of the Brexit transitional period. Driving regulations will also be affected, and next, we take a look at driving after Brexit and how this will affect your fleet of drivers and vehicles.

 

Driving In The EU

After Brexit, drivers of company cars and lorries will need to carry a copy of their contract of employment. If the car or lorry is to be driven for non-work purposes, the employment contract must state that this is authorised. In case of a no-deal scenario, trucks will need a certificate of compliance (ECMT) and a certificate of roadworthiness for trucks and trailers. The lorry needs a green card to show that it is insured, and a second green card is needed for the trailer, along with trailer registration plates and papers. Drivers should carry a valid UK driving licence and passport. The passport must have at least six months remaining and be no older than ten years from its date of issue. Your drivers may also require several international driving permits (IDP). The IDP 1968 covers all EU countries except for four. For Spain, Cyprus, and Malta, your drivers need an IDP 1949, and in Liechtenstein, an IDP 1926.