The fixed penalty for using a handheld mobile phone while driving will double from a £100 fine and three points on the licence, to a £200 fine and six points. The crackdown on offending motorists by Transport Secretary Chris Grayling, also means that drivers with clean licences will no longer be allowed to take a remedial training or Driver Awareness course. The new penalty regime will apply to all, regardless of previous offending.

The rules follow a consultation last year launched by the Department for Transport, which found that in certain circumstances, using a mobile phone while driving can have a worse impact on driving ability than being over the drink driving limit.

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