Chaos for Brits in Spain as they are BANNED from driving after failure to reach deal over UK licences
BRITISH ex-pats living in Spain are facing weeks of travel chaos after being banned from the roads in a government bungle over licences.
Tens of thousands of Brits will not be allowed to use their UK licences on Spanish roads after the two countries failed to reach an agreement.
Holidaymakers will not be affected by the gaffe, but those who have moved to the country will be unable to drive.
Whitehall sources have blamed Spanish bureaucrats for delaying talks and missing the April 30 deadline.
Brits living in the country have been able to use their DVLA-issued licences up until this point, and every other European country has agreed a post-Brexit deal.
Tory MP Sir Iain Duncan Smith told the : “It’s a case of “Manana, manana. It’s time they pull their finger out and do what they agreed.”
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A UK Government source said: “This could go on for a week or it could be longer.
"It should be temporary but we don’t know how temporary. In the meantime, British residents living in Spanish hill villages won’t be able to drive a car.”
A Foreign Office spokesman added: “An agreement to swap UK driving licences for Spanish licences has not yet been reached.
"We have agreed to rapidly accelerate talks and are urging the Spanish Government to bring forward interim measures.”
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The blunder means that UK expats have to obtain a Spanish driving licence before hitting the roads in their cars.
Malaga-based Sam Britton-Beese said: “It’s ridiculous. Our application for residency was still in process before the deadline so we couldn’t register to exchange.”
Linda Rogers, originally from Coventry, added: “Our house is in the mountains and nothing is close by – I’ve tried to get into a driving school but nothing is available.”
