CORONAVIRUS: A guide to Government rules for vehicle clubs

Published: 22/10/2020

Many club volunteers and organisers will know that recently, key changes to Government guidance were introduced stating that the "rule of six" now applies to social gatherings, meaning that it is illegal to gather socially in groups of larger than 6 people. There are now no exemptions to this rule and no events or gatherings can take place. 

The rules now vary on a regional basis - see below to work out what applies to your area:

As the country changes the classifications of restriction into localised tier levels, there are also varying approaches by devolved authorities. So, it has become necessary to evolve guidance on a localised basis. 

The best way to keep up to date with your own area is via the Government link for England https://www.gov.uk/find-coronavirus-local-restrictions useful which enables you to input your own postcode.

The exception is Scotland, where you must refer to this link: https://www.gov.scot/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-phase-3-staying-safe-and-protecting-others/

For restrictions in Northern Ireland, then refer to this link: https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/coronavirus-covid-19-regulations-guidance-what-restrictions-mean-you. 

The tightest restrictions are currently in place within Wales and you can and out more information here: https://gov.wales/coronavirus

Events

We do not expect any large - scale events to continue to go ahead, but if clubs  attend hospitality or events venues, they do so at their own risk. Clubs should satisfy themselves that the business, venue or organiser has put in the necessary infrastructure, social distancing, track and trace and hygiene measures to comply with the regulations for hospitality venues.

Cafés, Restaurants and Pubs are able to open, but track and trace is now a legal requirement and groups larger than six may not gather within the premises or book tables. It is also not possible to book more than one table of six. A curfew of 10pm has been imposed upon all hospitality venues. 

Club Regional Meets

On advice from UK Government and relevant trade bodies, we are continuing to urge caution regarding events or gatherings. For those advertised by third-parties, you attend at your own risk.

The latest UK Government advice introducing the 'rule of six' plus new regional lockdowns where deemed necessary has made any relaxation impossible. There are severe penalties in place for businesses that break the rules, so most hospitality venues are unable to consider hosting gatherings other than small groups of no more than 6. 

For now though, the latest Government restrictions do mean that in most cases, club's regional monthly meets, are unlikley to be able to resume currently.

How are the rules enforced?

Individuals can be issued with fines of £100, reduced to £50 if paid within 14 days, up to a maximum of £3,200 for repeat offences with more serious offences being prosecuted. The Police have powers to disperse groups of over thirty people and remove people from an area.

What about clinically vulnerable individuals?

Those who have been unidentified as at “high-risk” of contracting COVID-19 are now able to gather in groups of up to six people outdoors. This number includes individuals outside of the household. Those shielding can also form a "support bubble" with one other household.

General Health Guidance Links

• For NHS information visit: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/

• For more information on COVID-19 visit: www.who.int

Key points :

• The pandemic is NOT over.
• Club members attend shows and events at their own risk.
• Meeting / Event organisers must keep records of attendance for track and trace and be able to demonstrate adherence to COVID-19 secure guidlines. 
• Read and understand Government guidance for your specific area of the UK.
• Check your vehicle over carefully if it’s not been used for a while, paying particular attention to tyres and brakes. 
• Maintain social distancing of 2 metres ( 1 metre in certain circumstances - refer to Government guidelines ).
• If you previously declared your historic vehicle as being on SORN to the DVLA , be sure to update it before taking to the road. Where applicable. 
• If you didn’t renew your insurance policy during lockdown, do it right away. 
• If your vehicle needs one, do you have an MOT?  The six month extension only applies to cars that were due an MOT after 30th March 2020 and before 1st August. Extensions are granted in the seven days before the expiry date. After August 1st, you will be required to renew your MOT upon it's expiry as normal. 
• If you begin to display any new symptoms. Please self-isolate immediately and consult the NHS advice below. 

Please note: As our volunteer organisers announce their move to postpone or cancel certain events, members should support them in that decision.

Reach out

Many clubs are utlising tools like Whatsapp groups and Zoom conference calls to hold 'virtual' regional meetings - why not give it a try? There is a plethora of guidance availble on the internet, but we found this helpful guide to using Zoom particularly useful. 

Motorsport

Motorsport UK  has announced plans as to how it proposes restarting motorsport across its eleven sporting disciplines. Their latest guidance can be read here.