UK – New licensing laws could jeopardise road safety, RAC Foundation said

London – The new licensing laws, introduced in November, brought in flexible drinking hours to England and Wales. But motoring organisation the RAC Foundation* is warning that a provision on late night non-alcoholic sales could be jeopardising road safety. Under the new rules, premises wishing to sell hot food and drink between 23:00 and 05:00 GMT must apply for a local authority license. But many petrol forecourt owners have decided that the licensing costs are too high. The initial application fee is £635 with an annual fee of £350 plus costs such as advertising in a local paper.

The RAC Foundation claims this could be detrimental to driver safety, noting official government advice for tired drivers includes drinking cups of coffee. Driver fatigue is responsible for ten per cent of road casualties each year. Kevin Delaney, head of road safety for the foundation, called on the government to look at the issue again.

‘A hot drink late at night can be a lifesaver,’ Mr Delaney said.
‘Motorists are less likely to take a break if garages stop serving hot food and drinks at night, and may be more likely to fall asleep at the wheel’.

‘The foundation is writing to the secretary of state for culture, media and sport calling on the government to introduce an exemption so that forecourt stores can continue to provide this important community service. Tired motorists must have easy access to a hot coffee to fight fatigue.’

*The RAC Foundation for Motoring is an independent charity established to promote the environmental, economic, mobility and safety issues relating to use of motor vehicles.