To ask the Minister for Infrastructure when the R Plate requirement contained within Road Traffic (Northern Ireland) Order 1981 was last reviewed.

In 2011, the Department of the Environment carried out a review of the L and R driver schemes due to the over-representation of young, novice drivers involved in fatal and serious road collisions, and undertook a public consultation entitled ‘Consultation on Proposed Changes to the Learner and Restricted Driver Schemes and on Graduated Driver Licensing’.

Proposals on amending the 45mph speed restriction for learner and restricted drivers and on options for a new system of Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) to build on the current R driver scheme were subsequently brought forward. The statutory framework for GDL is contained in the Road Traffic (Amendment) Act (Northern Ireland) 2016.

The main purpose of GDL is to establish a revised training, testing and post-test regime for new drivers (and riders) to reduce the over representation of new (mainly young) drivers in fatal and serious road collisions.

Draft Subordinate Legislation is being prepared which will amend the Motor Vehicles (Specified Restrictions) Regulations (NI) 1998. The legislation will set out the precise details of a new two-part ‘R’ plate that will apply to new drivers for a period of two years after passing the practical driving test. It will also set out details of new post-test passenger restrictions. These amending regulations will be subject to affirmative resolution.