‘Whilst a number of us will still be eating Turkey sandwiches the requirement for a Smart Tachograph 2 to be fitted in all vehicles making deliveries between the UK and EU will kick in. (Dec 31st 2024)

The DVSA have clarified their position for those of us who, whilst not making a delivery in the EU, may transit through an EU country on the way to do so. Maybe relevant for example if you’re running from Wales to NI but travelling through the Republic to do so.

For these types of routes, so long as you neither collect nor deliver in the Republic the requirement for Smart Tachograph 2 will not be enforced until 31st March 2025. This will also work the other way around for those collecting/delivering in an EU country.

This extension may not change much for the larger operators amongst us but hopefully it’ll give some leeway to those smaller operators who have routinely travelled across borders for many years. – That said, the 31st March will not take long to arrive.

Tachograph retrofitting for goods journeys crossing and recrossing the UK / Ireland border

DVSA explain, ‘To meet international obligations, any HGV installed with an analogue or digital tachograph and used on international transport journeys between the UK and EU must be fitted with a smart tachograph 2 by 31 December 2024.

The Department have clarified tachograph retrofitting rules for certain goods journeys crossings and re-crossing the UK/Ireland border only for transit without loading or unloading.

What you need to know . The retrofit requirement will not be enforced before 31 March 2025 by authorities in the:

• UK for vehicles registered in the Republic of Ireland which cross Northern Ireland without loading or unloading on journeys between 2 points in the Republic

• Republic of Ireland for vehicles registered in the UK which cross the Republic of Ireland

without loading or unloading on journeys between 2 points in the UK (for example 2 points in Northern Ireland or between Great Britain and Northern Ireland). Any relevant vehicle transporting a load between the UK and the Republic of Ireland must still have a smart 2 tachograph fitted by 31 December 2024, except where a vehicle has already been fitted with a Smart tachograph 1.