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.

It has been twenty years since Euro Levels began to be introduced for trucks manufactured within Europe. This was to meet increasingly stringent exhaust emission levels in order to reduce air pollution and climate change. The last level – Euro 6 – was introduced in January 2013, with trucks registered before then able to be re-registered at this level after meeting certain requirements.

Lowering emissions

Euro 6 Trucks are so clean that it would be practically impossible to bring their exhaust emissions down any lower. The PM (Particulate Matter) limit is half that of the Euro 5, but the engines in these Lorries are responsible for producing only half of those emissions. The rest is down to wizardry in the exhaust due to the after-treatment system. It is this particular steel box that contains AdBlue injector, several catalysts, sensors and a DPF that keep the whole operation flowing smoothly to keep the show on the road.

Euro 6 engines

The Euro 6 became mandatory for all trucks registered from the 1^st January 2013. Yes – there were a few concerns that these machines would be heavier, pricier and thirstier, because of their complexity. But, as is often the case, things were not as bad as first feared. An average Euro 6 tractor unit weighs in at just a couple of hundred kg weightier than the equivalent Euro 5, and improved aerodynamic build and fuel saving devices meant that fuel usage remained comparable and has even improved in recent years. The only true negative was the price – which did see an increase in cost of around 8%.

Introducing the ULTRA low emission zone

There are many lower Euro levels of trucks on the road with businesses still happy to run them. However, many companies have upgraded to Euro 6 due to the London Low Emission Zone (LEZ) rather than facing a daily £200 fine. The Euro 6 legislation will have even more significance in September 2020 when London’s Ultra Low Emissions Zone comes into effect; meaning that any truck operators travelling in London will need to ensure their vehicles ARE fitted with Euro 6 engines. Those who don’t will face heavy fines.

Getting ready for September 2020

It makes sense therefore for any haulage, logistics or builders merchant business to prepare their fleet of trucks now so that they are fully Euro 6 conversant with the introduction of the ULEZ.

The introduction of low emission zones

Approximately 9,400 deaths a year are suspected to be related to London’s air quality. NOx levels are thought to play a major part in the conditions that lead to these deaths, and it’s the vehicles on London’s busy streets that are responsible for the high levels. In an effort to reduce these levels and improve public safety as well as the overall air quality that contributes to climate control; London Mayor Sadiq Khan is establishing the Ultra Low Emission Zone to come into effect in September 2020.

Ensuring your vehicle is compliant

Smaller vehicles and vans weighing up to 1700 kg will need to be fitted with a simple NOx storage catalytic converter to neutralize the most harmful effects of the emissions.

Larger vehicles and vans that weigh in at over 1700kg (this includes HGVs) will need an SCR otherwise known as a Selective Catalytic Reduction system. This injects a blue liquid reductant called AdBlue into the vehicle’s exhaust stream, which neutralizes the NOx emissions. It does this by converting them into harmless water vapour and nitrogen. This means that the air coming out of a Euro 6 truck can be cleaner than the air going in when operating in polluted cities!

Where do Mac’s Trucks fit in with the 2020 changes?

We are a truck rental specialist that keeps the customer at the heart of everything we do and because we have been supplying quality vehicles since the 1970s; we continue to move with the times. We can supply your business with brand new or used HGVs to help you meet the Euro 6 changes way before the deadline.

This is because Mac’s Truck Rental do what we say on the tin and more! We can supply any conformation of truck off our forecourt within 48 hours to any UK destination, and we also have a huge manufacturing facility so we can build your new Euro 6 Truck to your specifications and supply it FAST. We can offer a quick turn-around and no slow down to literally keep your business on the road.