Department for Transport Legislation
90 statutory instruments made by the Department for Transport, newest first. Each one is explained section by section in plain English.
The Unmanned Aircraft (Offences and Consequential Amendments) Regulations 2025
- Department: Department for Transport
- Made under: Police Act 1997, Air Traffic Management and Unmanned Aircraft Act 2021
The Regulations created criminal offences for UAS operators and remote pilots breaching the UK Implementing Regulation for drone operations, set penalties, and amended related UK Acts concerning police powers and existing air navigation rules.
These Regulations establish criminal offences in the UK for UAS operators and remote pilots who fail to comply with specific requirements detailed in the Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/947 concerning the operation of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS).
The legislation, which comes into force in January 2026 across the whole of the UK, specifies the breaches that constitute offences, ranging from registration failures to competency issues across 'open', 'specific', and 'certified' flight categories, sets out associated summary conviction penalties, and makes consequential amendments to the Police Act 1997, the Air Navigation Order 2016, and the Air Traffic Management and Unmanned Aircraft Act 2021 to reflect these new criminal provisions.
The Bournemouth-Swanage Motor Road and Ferry (Revision of Tolls) Order 2025
The Secretary of State for Transport revised the maximum tolls for the Bournemouth-Swanage Motor Road and Ferry, effective December 30, 2025, and revoked the 2021 toll revision Order.
The Secretary of State for Transport made this Order upon application from the Bournemouth-Swanage Motor Road & Ferry Company to revise the maximum tolls chargeable for the use of the ferry service, concluding that the revision is necessary to ensure the Company achieves adequate annual revenue to cover costs and provide a reasonable return on investment.
This Order, which comes into force on December 30, 2025, specifies the new maximum single-use tolls, details tiered discounts for bulk purchases over several years, allows for limited annual inflationary adjustments based on the Consumer Price Index, and revokes the previous 2021 Revision of Tolls Order.
The Railway Byelaws Amendment Order 2025
- Department: Department for Transport
- Made under: Railways Act 2005
The Secretary of State for Transport amended the Railway Byelaws to ensure gender neutrality, ban e-cigarette use, clarify vehicle obstruction and parking rules across England, Wales, and Scotland, and replace 'penalty' with 'fine' in enforcement provisions.
The Secretary of State for Transport enacted this Order to amend the standing Railway Byelaws originally made in 2005.
The primary changes involve modernizing the language across multiple byelaws by replacing gendered pronouns with neutral alternatives, and specifically prohibiting the use of electronic cigarettes on railway property where smoking is banned.
Furthermore, the Order revises provisions related to vehicle control, obstructions, and parking by separating the rules for England and Wales (introducing new Byelaw 14A) from those for Scotland (Byelaw 14B), while also substituting the term "penalty" with "fine" for clarity regarding criminal enforcement.
The Merchant Shipping (Polar Code) (Safety) Regulations 2025
- Department: Department for Transport
- Made under: Merchant Shipping Act 1995
The Merchant Shipping (Polar Code) (Safety) Regulations 2025 were enacted, implementing updated IMO requirements for polar navigation, extending compliance to smaller vessels, and amending preceding survey, certification, and fee regulations.
These Regulations, titled the Merchant Shipping (Polar Code) (Safety) Regulations 2025, update UK domestic law to incorporate the latest amendments from the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Resolutions MSC.532(107) and MSC.538(107) concerning ships operating in polar waters, effectively replacing the 2021 Regulations.
The new rules come into force on 1st January 2026 and apply to United Kingdom ships and specific non-UK ships operating in Arctic and Antarctic waters, extending mandatory safety requirements, including detailed structural, navigational, and training provisions from the Polar Code, to additional categories of ships such as smaller cargo ships, fishing vessels, and pleasure vessels, while also amending several existing pieces of maritime legislation relating to surveys, certification, and training fees.
The Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 (Definition of Relevant Land) (Amendment) Order 2025
- Department: Department for Transport
- Made under: Protection of Freedoms Act 2012
The Order amended Schedule 4 of the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 by excluding specific preserved railway byelaws from the definition of relevant land to enable the recovery of unpaid station car parking charges.
The Secretary of State for Transport has made this Order using powers under the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 to amend the definition of 'relevant land' within Schedule 4 of that Act, specifically to ensure that land subject to preserved railway byelaws made under the Transport Act 2000 is included, thereby facilitating the recovery of unpaid car parking charges from keepers or hirers of vehicles parked in station car parks.
The Borough Council of Calderdale (Elland Station and West Vale Access Package) (West Yorkshire Plus Transport Fund, Transforming Cities Fund) (Calder and Hebble Navigation Bridge) Scheme 2022 Confirmation Instrument 2025
- Department: Department for Transport
- Made under: Highways Act 1980
The Secretary of State for Transport confirmed the Borough Council of Calderdale's scheme to construct a pedestrian and cycle bridge over the Calder and Hebble Navigation as part of the Elland Station and West Vale Access Package.
The Secretary of State for Transport confirms the Borough Council of Calderdale’s Scheme, enacted under the Highways Act 1980, which authorizes the construction of a multi-span bridge over the Calder and Hebble Navigation.
This bridge is a component of the Elland Station and West Vale Access Package, intended to provide essential pedestrian and cycle access to the proposed Elland Rail Station from the north bank, while ensuring navigational requirements of the waterway are met.
The Merchant Shipping (Vessels in Commercial Use for Sport or Pleasure) Regulations 2025
- Department: Department for Transport
- Made under: Merchant Shipping Act 1995, Railways and Transport Safety Act 2003
The UK enacted the Merchant Shipping (Vessels in Commercial Use for Sport or Pleasure) Regulations 2025, which consolidated prior rules, defined survey and certification procedures based on vessel size using specific Codes of Practice, established dispute resolution mechanisms, clarified certificate validity periods, and set out enforcement powers for non-compliance.
These Regulations update and consolidate the legal framework governing merchant vessels used in commercial activities related to sport or pleasure, applying to UK vessels globally and other seagoing vessels in UK waters, excluding those carrying more than twelve passengers or pleasure vessels not engaged commercially.
The legislation details specific survey and certification requirements based on vessel size (large vessels subject to the REG Code, small vessels subject to the SCV Code), establishes appeal processes including arbitration for survey disputes, outlines certificate validity and conditions for cancellation, sets out operational requirements, and defines offenses and detention powers for enforcement against non-compliant vessels.
The Crediting of Third Country and Military Certification for Air Traffic Controllers Regulations 2025
- Department: Department for Transport
The Regulations established the framework for the CAA to credit training and experience from third-country ATCO licences and UK military certificates of competence toward UK ATCO licence requirements.
These Regulations empower the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to grant credit towards UK Air Traffic Controller (ATCO) licence requirements for specified training and experience obtained by applicants holding either a third-country ATCO licence or a UK military certificate of competence.
This credit can manifest as a reduction in course duration, the number of lessons, or specific training hours, provided the CAA obtains and assesses a comprehensive credit report from a training organisation confirming the equivalence of the prior training to the UK ATCO training requirements, excluding cases covered by existing international agreements.