The temporary relaxation of the UK cabotage rules that has allowed non-UK lorry operators to undertake unlimited cabotage in UK for 14 days lapses on 1 May 2022.
This means that EU lorries entering the UK on or after 1 May 2022 will be restricted to a maximum of two cabotage trips in 7 days after delivery of an inbound international load.
Non-EU lorries entering the UK on or after 1 May 2022 will no longer be permitted to undertake cabotage in the UK.
This lapsing of the special rules brought in by the government in October 2021 for 6 months means we now return to the cabotage rules specified in the Trade and Cooperation Agreement.
The Government still retains the ability to re-introduce a relaxation in 2022 – subject to parliamentary processes – if it deems there is a need to support UK domestic road haulage capacity.
A lack of action on this appears to indicate the government is comfortable with the ability of supply chains in the UK to meet demand at this time.