Filenews 30 November 2023
A bill passed in the afternoon by the Plenum amends the Driving License Law in order to regulate the right to drive on the road network by holders of a student driving license and to determine as mandatory the use of protective equipment by trainee motorcycle drivers and motorcycle drivers for professional use.
The bill was passed unanimously.
The bill allows motorcycle drivers working in the delivery of products, including ready-made food, beverages and other edible products or items, courier and postal services, to comply with two of the three obligations laid down for all protective equipment.
In particular, they will be obliged to wear a helmet and be dressed in at least two of the following: Jacket or vest bearing phosphorous stripes on the outside of their clothing, above the middle of their body, long trousers, boots or closed shoes and gloves, airbag, specially designed for use for a vehicle of categories AM, A1, A2 and A.
Provision has also been introduced whereby provisions imposing penalties on holders of a student driving licence employed in the delivery of products, including ready meals, beverages and other edible products or items, courier and postal services, for failure to obtain a regular driving licence will apply from 1 January 2026 onwards.
The bill, which was tabled by the previous government, prohibits the hiring of a person or the conclusion of an employment contract or the provision of any form of service by any person to drive a motor vehicle without holding a driving license for this category of vehicle and imposes an obligation to use specific protective equipment on a person working in the fields of product delivery. including ready meals, beverages and other edible products or items, courier and postal services.
The equipment will be provided by the employer at regular intervals and within the time frames determined by the Minister of Transport.
The period of validity of an apprentice's driving licence is extended from one to two years and the renewal of this licence if the provisions of existing legislation are complied with and it criminalises the driving of a motor vehicle by a person working in the product delivery sector without holding a valid driving licence in the category of vehicle he drives.
The driving of motorcycles by professional drivers and apprentices without wearing appropriate protective clothing and equipment is also criminalized, while a transitional provision is introduced, according to which the proposed law enters into force on a date determined by the Council of Ministers.
The President of the Transport Committee, Marinos Mousiouttas, said that the legislation tries to increase safety measures for motorcycle drivers for professional purposes and has provisions so that there is the right balance for safety but also so that the delivery industry is not put into disuse, as a large number of drivers are asylum seekers.
He explained that the professional purposes and what the professional driver must carry are determined as well as the appropriate marking is determined.
The Plenum also unanimously approved a proposal for a law by seven MPs so that the limitation period for the penalty points imposed to occur after two instead of three years, as the current regulation.
DISY Parliamentary Spokesman Nikos Tornaritis, one of the rapporteurs of the proposal, said that with the implementation of the photo-labelling system, the situation in relation to penalty points sent is at breaking point. He said the transport minister himself told him that 60,000 calls had not been received.
He said that the guiding principle of the proposal is to enhance road awareness and safety, but not by setting traps and sending people to court. Tornaritis said that money, man-hours and people are suffering in the courts and that the proposal comes to the level of "first aid" in his expression, with the aim of bringing about better regulations in the future.
CNA
