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MT studies foreign trucks on our roads
Page 8
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• by Dominic Perry The Department for Transport (DfT) has launched a new study aimed at discovering the distance covered by foreign operators on British roads. It is an attempt by the DfT to come up with an accurate picture of the haulage industry in the UK prior to the introduction of Lorry Road User Charging in 2006.
The study, conducted by research analysts MORI, will also look at how the industry is affected by cabotage—foreign companies hauling domestic UK loads.
There has been a considerable amount of anecdotal evidence blaming foreign operators for illegally 'poaching UK work, but a previous DfT study in 2000 seemed to indicate that this was not borne out in reality. However the report was criticised by some over a perceived lack of accuracy.
The DfT is anxious to correct this, particularly as it needs a clear picture of the degree to which Eastern European firms have penetrated the UK and UKContinental markets prior to EU expansion in 2004. Although this will bring countries like Slovakia and the Czech Republic into the union, operators from these countries will be prevented from doing legal cabotage for two years.
Gordon Linnington, head of European logistics services at the Freight Transport Association, says the problem is one of perception: "Any industry that's under threat is susceptible to believing that some of the threat is an illegal one resulting from unfair competition.
"I hope the DfT survey is successful because if it does dispel the myth then it will bring some reality back to the situation, or it will allow the DfT to tackle a problem they have identified."
The ECMT permit system that allows non-EU hauliers to do work within the EU is also under scrutiny. It is believed that Germany in particular is looking to restrict the period of time a firm can stay away from base to a maximum of six weeks.