Brits in Spain face road chaos as they’re banned from driving after Brexit blunder

dailyrecord.co.uk:

Brits living in Spain have been dealt a blow as they’ve been banned from driving after post-Brexit talks broke down. From May 1, tens of thousands of British expats won't be able to use their UK driving licence on roads in Spain, sparking a transport crisis - although tourists are exempt from the harsh new policy.

The UK and Spanish governments have failed to reach an agreement about DVLA-issued licences by the April 30 deadline, with Tory MP Sir Iain Duncan Smith blaming the European authorities. “It’s a case of ‘mañana, mañana [tomorrow, tomorrow]’,” he told the Mail on Sunday. “It’s time they pull their finger out and do what they agreed.”A Foreign Office spokesman said: “An agreement to swap UK driving licences for Spanish licences has not yet been reached.“From May 1, UK licence holders who have been resident in Spain for more than six months and did not exchange their licence during the transition period will no longer be able to drive legally in Spain.“We have agreed to rapidly accelerate talks and are urging the Spanish Government to bring forward interim measures.”Until now Brits living in Spain have been permitted to use their DVLA-issued licences on the roads, while every other European nation has come to a post-Brexit agreement about UK drivers.

The change does not apply to holidaymakers, who can still use their Brit-issued driving licence while in the country, report Mirror Online.

Anyone affected by the ban is advised to take immediate steps to apply for a Spanish licence, which will involve both a theory and a practical test.The official guidance on the UK government’s website says the following.“If you have a valid UK driving licence:One expat told the Mail she’s tried to get into a driving school to