Transport Legislation
Legislative framework for transportation systems, road safety, public transport, aviation, and maritime matters.
The Air Navigation (Restriction of Flying) (Prescott, Merseyside) (Emergency) Regulations 2025
This Statutory Instrument, titled the Air Navigation (Restriction of Flying) (Prescott, Merseyside) (Emergency) Regulations 2025, establishes an immediate, temporary ban on all unmanned aircraft flying below 1,000 feet above mean sea level within a one-nautical-mile radius centered on Prescott, Merseyside, due to an unspecified emergency deemed necessary by the Secretary of State for Transport.
The Air Navigation (Restriction of Flying) (Mountain Ash) (Emergency) Regulations 2025
The Air Navigation (Restriction of Flying) (Mountain Ash) (Emergency) Regulations 2025 immediately restrict all aircraft from flying below 1,500 feet above mean sea level within a one nautical mile radius centered on Mountain Ash, as this prohibition is deemed necessary by the Secretary of State due to an emergency affecting the public interest in that area; these restrictions remain in force until the emergency subsides and permit exceptions only for aircraft operating under the direction of the South Wales Police.
The Helios Renewable Energy Project Order 2025
The Helios Renewable Energy Project Order 2025 grants development consent under the Planning Act 2008 for the construction, operation, and decommissioning of a solar generating station and battery energy storage system in the North Yorkshire Council area, defining the scope of the authorised development, granting the undertaker powers for compulsory acquisition of land or rights, and establishing detailed preliminary provisions, street works, and specific protective requirements for various statutory undertakers including electricity, gas, water, drainage, and railway interests.
These Regulations establish the framework for ensuring marine equipment placed on board UK ships complies with relevant international safety and pollution prevention standards, replacing the 2016 regulations and associated EU exit amendments; they define the roles and responsibilities of manufacturers, importers, distributors, approved bodies (for UK conformity approval), and nominated bodies (for type approval), and lay out detailed conformity assessment procedures, enforcement powers including ship detention, and consequential amendments to related maritime legislation.
The Automated Vehicles Act 2024 (Commencement No. 1) Regulations 2025
These Regulations, made by the Secretary of State under the Automated Vehicles Act 2024, specify the first set of provisions from that Act that will come into force on 1st January 2026.
Specifically, they activate sections strengthening laws against tampering with vehicle equipment (including software) and fitting unsuitable parts, and they also activate sections that grant the Secretary of State power to regulate the restriction of certain terms, the collection and protection of information, and other administrative procedures, though these latter powers are currently only active for the purpose of making subsequent regulations.
The Government Resources and Accounts Act 2000 (Estimates and Accounts) (Amendment) Order 2025
This Order, made by HM Treasury under the Government Resources and Accounts Act 2000, revises the list of designated central government bodies for the purpose of calculating supply estimates and resource accounts for the financial year ending March 31, 2026.
Specifically, it substitutes the entire Schedule of the principal Order (The Government Resources and Accounts Act 2000 (Estimates and Accounts) Order 2025) with an updated list organized by government department, adding, renaming, or removing various public sector bodies.
The Unmanned Aircraft (Market Surveillance Authority) Regulations 2025
These Regulations, made by the Secretary of State using powers under Article 3B(1) of Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/945, formally designate the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) as the market surveillance authority responsible for overseeing compliance within the UK relating to unmanned aircraft systems and third-country operators under that specific retained EU framework, applying across England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.
The Unmanned Aircraft (Offences and Consequential Amendments) Regulations 2025
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.