THE PROBLEM
Page 7
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
Exactly how many unlicensed truck operators are there in Britain? It's no good asking the Department of Transport. The men from Marsham Street have already held back the results of its own survey into unlicensed operators for the second successive month (see new story, page 9). First the results were promised for November, then December, then January. Now it's anybody's guess when they will appear—or, for that matter, why they've been held back. The ditherers at the DOT should heed John Dryden's words: "All delays are dangerous in war!" And make no mistake, law-abiding operators are at war with the unlicensed cowboys. But until you know the size of your enemies' forces it's hard to plan your attack. Last year road safety minister Steven Norris promised that if the survey of 2,000 trucks stopped by the Vehicle Inspectorate last October revealed more than 2% running without 0-licences, then legislation would be introduced in January to allow illegal trucks to be impounded. That legislative date is already slipping by. While Commercial Motor has always been in favour of impounding we can't quite understand why it should be triggered by the magic figure of 2%. Presumably Norris had something in mind when he mentioned this percentage to justify impounding, but we're blowed if we can see it. ccording to the latest industry survey conducted by Commercial Motor and NOP (CM 14-20 December 1995), there are 428,900 HGVs operating in the UK. Take 2% of that total and you end up with 8,578 wagons. Is the DOT saying that there have to be over 8,000 unlicensed trucks running on British roads before it finally gets around to pushing impounding through Parliament? If the figure was 800, 80 or even eight it would still be too high. Unlicensed operators are cheats and swindlers. They're cheating on the system that requires honest hauliers to attain and keep proper operating standards. And they're swindling law-abiding operators out of loads which they're carrying illegally. Is the DOT embarrassed by the results of the VI's survey? Having resisted impounding for so long, it won't look good if the figures are far higher than we've all suspected. Let's have no more delays. In the war against unlicenced operators it's time the DOT took its lead from General Colin Powell. When asked about his plan to defeat Saddam Hussein's army he simply replied: "First we're going to cut it off and then we're going to kill it."