The euphoria after the announcement that Spain would finally accept UK driving licences has fallen on deaf ears because the deal is not valid in Crown Dependencies such as the Channel Islands.
"Jersey licences are not legal in Spain and we cannot exchange them for a Spanish one without taking theory and practical tests,’ said Kerr Cameron, who lives in Murcia and recently wrote to the Jersey Evening Post to raise the issue.
Tristen Dodd, the government’s head of transport, told the newspaper: ‘Although Jersey accepts licences from many EU and EEA jurisdictions, this is not always reciprocated. It is appreciated that this is a frustrating situation, but work is continuing, with the support of the UK government and colleagues in our External Relations team, to include Jersey and the other Crown Dependencies in the agreement.’
Spain and Britain signed a landmark deal earlier this year after months of negotiations under which British licences could be exchanged for Spanish ones.