To ask the Minister for Infrastructure to detail any steps he is taking to ensure equity in the enforcement of the new Graduated Driver Licensing regulations, considering that during the transition, some new drivers will still face the 45mph restriction for 12 months after passing their test, while others, under the new rules, can drive up to the posted speed limit immediately.

Those who have passed their test under the GDL system will have been subjected to a longer and more robust learning period, the 6-month mandatory minimum learning period with the logbook app, and they will have learnt to drive at speeds above 45mph.

Whereas those who have passed their test before the introduction of the GDL system, will not have learnt to drive above 45mph and will not have went through the longer, more robust, learning process. The 45mph limit has been considered appropriate for ‘R’ drivers in these conditions for decades.

The GDL system will introduce a new, separate, ‘R’ plate for those who pass their test under the GDL system and can drive above 45mph, meaning it will be clear to other drivers who is restricted to 45mph and who is not.

Transitional arrangements for learners whose provisional licence entitlement to drive a category B vehicle commenced before 1 October 2026 are set out in the Road Traffic (Amendment) Act, passed by the Assembly in 2016. While there will be a period during which newly qualified drivers are subject to different post-test requirements, this is a necessary consequence of the transition from one driver licensing system to another.

The arrangements have been designed to provide a fair and proportionate transition. It allows existing provisional licence holders time to complete their training and take the driving test for which they have been prepared. Significantly, this will not include driving at speeds above 45mph. As they will have learnt to drive under the existing regulatory framework, it is appropriate that they will continue to be subject to the current restrictions on new drivers, including the display of the existing amber R plate and compliance with a 45mph speed limit for one year after passing their driving test. Under GDL, learners will complete a Programme of Training, including a speed awareness module, have the opportunity to experience higher driving speeds under supervision and be tested while driving safely at speeds higher than 45mph, assuming conditions allow. They will therefore have been prepared for the protections and restrictions to which they will be subject under GDL.

In terms of enforcing GDL, that would be for the PSNI to respond to.