For business fleets, 2025 has been yet another eventful year, with firms having to contend with a whole host of challenges, from higher maintenance and repair costs, to evolving regulations around safety. With 2026 now upon us, there are several key changes over the next 12 months that fleet decision makers must be aware of. Here, Nicholas Lyes, Policy and Standards Director at leading road safety charity IAM RoadSmart, talks through the key things to bear in mind.
Reduced drink-driving limit
The Government’s new Road Safety Strategy for the UK – the first in more than a decade – has now been published, and is set to bring wide ranging changes that are likely to have an impact on business fleets. One of the reported proposals is a reduction in the drink driving limit in England and Wales from 35 micrograms of alcohol per 100ml of breath to 22 micrograms per 100ml of breath.
With IAM RoadSmart data showing that 52% of companies have experienced a drink driving incident in the last three years, fleet managers must take action to strengthen drink driving policy and training provision, ensuring business drivers are aware of the potential upcoming change to the limit. Drink-driving awareness training could present the most effective way of relaying the changes to staff while simultaneously reenforcing best practice.
New Private Parking Single Code of Practice
Back in June 2024, the British Parking Association (BPA) published the Private Parking Single Code of Practice as a means of improving transparency and standards surrounding private car parks for the benefit of motorists. The Code includes an Appeals Charter for appealing against parking charges, consistent rules for private parking operators, and a requirement for clear signage to help drivers navigate parking on private land.
While private operators began implementing the new Code from 1 October 2024, all existing sites need to be updated by December 2026. As such, fleet managers must ensure that all vehicles are parked in accordance with the Code of Practice – which includes adhering to parking regulations and displaying appropriate signage – and that they understand the appeals process for parking charges in the event that the business receives one.
Image: Authorised by IAM Roadsmart
Fuel duty increase
In her recent Autumn Budget, Chancellor Rachel Reeves confirmed that there would be a staged increased in fuel duty from September 2026. For fleets, this will bring higher operating costs, especially for those with a large number of petrol or diesel vehicles, as the Government begins to reverse the current 5p-per-litre cut.
At a time when fleets are already battling high fuel prices and growing costs, this will undoubtedly hit many hard, so fleet managers should be preparing for the increase now.
Consultation on eVED
Another announcement affecting fleets made at the Autumn Budget was the introduction of electric Vehicle Excise Duty (eVED), a new mileage charge for electric and plug-in hybrid cars. While eVED is not due to come into effect until April 2028, there is currently an online consultation for gathering feedback on the design and implementation of the new charge, which will remain open until 18 March 2026.
This consultation also invites feedback from business fleets on how eVED will likely impact their operations. Therefore, fleet managers who are concerned about the charge should engage with the survey to highlight potential problems and ensure that it fairly aligns with the needs of business fleets.
Automated vehicle consultation
Similarly, at the beginning of December 2025, the Government launched a major consultation on developing the regulatory framework for automated vehicles, looking to gain industry input on how self-driving vehicles will be approved, authorised and monitored on UK roads.
With the consultation running until March 5, 2026, fleet managers are encouraged to share their feedback on the rollout of automated vehicles, including any concerns that they have around safety or data protection, without delay.
Get ahead of the changes
It’s clear that 2026 is set to be a busy year for business fleets, and there are many new considerations that fleet managers will need to make in response to evolving regulations and emerging trends.
Fleets should be doing everything that they can now to prepare for the changes and, in doing so, avoid any unpleasant bumps in the road ahead.
To find out more about IAM RoadSmart’s advanced Driving for Work training course, designed to enhance safety and improve driver confidence, visit https://iamcommercial.co.uk/driving-for-work/.
