Bell says new rules won’t add any burden
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By Chris Tindall ACTING SENIOR Trafic Commissioner (TC) Beverley Bell says that the publication of new statutory documents offering guidance on the licensing system do not add burden to operators.
The 12 Guidance and Directions (G+Ds) documents have now been published in their inal form and provide information for licence holders about how TCs regulate the industry and how hauliers should comply with existing legislation.
The G+Ds were delayed by the implementation of EU Regulation 1071/2009, which came into force on 4 December and led to a hasty second consultation in November in order that they did not contradict new laws. “British operators who apply for and obtain standard national and
international licences will not be subject to additional burdens, and there will be no ‘gold plating’ of the legislation,” Bell says. “In my view, this will help to ensure that British operators are not disadvantaged when competing with their European counterparts who are subject to the same EU Regulations.”
Road Haulage Association chief executive Geoff Dunning recently described the situation as “a bit of a mess”. But he adds that the Senior TC will act on any problems. “There was so short a time to comment, it was dificult and far from ideal. But Beverley Bell has accepted we have a completely new set of regulations and it’s worth being sensible and reviewing where we are once they have been in force for a short time,” he says.
“There’s a six-month review of the way the new regulations and G+Ds are working. I am perfectly happy with that.” ● The G+Ds can be found at: http://www.dft.gov.uk/publications/ senior-traffic-commissioners-revised-guidance-directions/
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