UK Haulage 2025: New Rules, Key Shows, and Fleet Compliance Essentials

If you run a haulage business, manage a transport fleet, or spend your days behind the wheel of an HGV, 2025 has already thrown quite a lot at you. New brake testing rules, tachograph deadlines, London safety requirements, and a shifting market — it's a lot to keep on top of alongside the day job. This post pulls it all together: the regulatory changes you need to know, what the market looks like right now, and the events worth putting in your diary.

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The UK HGV Market in 2025: A Reset, Not a Collapse

After three years of strong post-pandemic demand, new HGV registrations dropped by 10% in 2025, coming in at 40,504 units according to SMMT data. That sounds alarming, but most analysts are calling it a natural recalibration rather than a crisis — fleets that rushed to replace ageing trucks during the supply chain recovery are simply catching their breath.

The breakdown is worth noting. Rigid trucks took the bigger hit with a 14.1% decline, while artics held up better with a 4.3% fall. The one segment that bucked the trend entirely was refuse-collection vehicles, up 22.6% — a reflection of ongoing local authority investment rather than anything the typical haulier needs to worry about.

The headline worth celebrating? Zero-emission HGV registrations surged by 170.5%, reaching 587 new units and pushing the UK past the milestone of 1,000 total registered electric trucks. Yes, they still represent only 1.4% of the market, but the direction of travel is clear. With the Commercial Vehicle Show in April leaning heavily into its "Destination Net Zero" initiative, electrification is no longer a niche conversation — it's the main topic in most boardrooms.

On the workforce side, the driver shortage hasn't gone away. 26% of HGV businesses reported driver vacancies in Q4 2025, up slightly from 24% at the end of 2024. If recruitment is on your agenda, you're not alone — and it's one more reason why retaining the drivers you have, treating them fairly, and managing compliance properly matters more than ever.

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Regulatory Changes: What's Already in Force

This has been one of the busiest years for compliance updates in recent memory. If you haven't already checked your procedures against each of these, now's the time.

Brake Testing — Four Times a Year, Loaded

From 1 April 2025, the DVSA requires a minimum of four laden roller brake tests per year for HGVs, replacing the old single annual test. Vehicles must be loaded to at least 65% capacity during testing. This is a significant shift in workload and scheduling for many operators, and it's the kind of check that can't just be pencilled into a spreadsheet and forgotten about. Fleet compliance tools like TruckCheck make it easier to schedule and record these tests consistently across multiple vehicles.

The DVSA's Earned Recognition audit standards (available here) are worth bookmarking as a reference point for what "good" looks like from a regulator's perspective — brake maintenance and testing documentation is a core part of those standards.

International Records — 56 Days Required

If your drivers are running international routes, they now need to be able to produce 56 days of records at a roadside inspection — double the previous 28-day requirement. This change came into force on 21 April 2025 and aligns UK rules with the AETR agreement. Brief your drivers, make sure records are accessible, and double-check your tachograph management processes.

Smart Tachograph Version 2 Retrofit Deadline

Operators involved in international transport had until 18 August 2025 to retrofit vehicles with Smart Tachograph Version 2 hardware. If that deadline has caught you off guard, get in touch with your tachograph supplier immediately — operating internationally without compliant equipment risks serious enforcement action.

London DVS: No More Grace Period

The grace period for the Progressive Safe System (PSS) under London's Direct Vision Standard ended on 4 May 2025. Any HGV over 12 tonnes entering Greater London now needs either a 3-star DVS rating or the required safety hardware — including AI blind-spot sensors — to avoid fines. If you have vehicles regularly running into London and haven't sorted this yet, it needs to go straight to the top of the to-do list.

Costs Going Up

HGV Levy and Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) both increased in April 2025, in line with inflation at around 3.6%. It's not dramatic, but it's another cost to factor into your budgets for the year ahead.

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Events Worth Getting to in 2025

The show calendar this year has something for everyone — whether you're looking at new kit, networking, or just a good day out with fellow truck enthusiasts.

• Commercial Vehicle Show (29 April – 1 May, NEC Birmingham) — Focused heavily on electric fleets and net zero. If you're thinking about your first eHGV purchase, this is the place to do your homework.
• Road Transport Expo (RTX) (24–26 June, NAEC Stoneleigh) — A great opportunity to get behind the wheel of the latest models in the "Ride & Drive" area before committing to anything.
• Truckfest 2025 — Nine events across the UK, including Lincoln (4–5 May), West Midlands (4–5 July), and South West (30–31 August). Always a brilliant atmosphere.
• Convoy in the Park (9–10 August, Donington Park) — Over 1,000 show trucks plus the British Truck Racing Championship. A proper weekend out.
• Trucks & Fireworks (1–2 November, Brands Hatch) — The perfect way to close out the season.

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Keeping Compliance Manageable Day to Day

With four brake tests a year, expanded tachograph record requirements, DVS hardware checks, and retrofit deadlines all landing at once, the paperwork alone can feel overwhelming. The operators who handle this best tend to be the ones who've stopped relying on spreadsheets and manual reminders.

Tools like TruckCheck are built specifically for UK hauliers to manage exactly this kind of ongoing compliance — keeping your vehicle checks, brake test records, and driver documentation in one place and flagging what needs attention before it becomes a problem. The DVSA's own Earned Recognition standards make clear that consistent, documented compliance is what distinguishes well-run operators from those who get caught out at the roadside or during an audit.

The rules aren't getting simpler. But with the right systems in place, staying on top of them doesn't have to be a full-time job in itself.

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