Facing up to the challenge
Page 18
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ONLY 1,298 transport managers have so far taken the examination for the Certificate of Professional Competence, said Department of Transport Road Freight Division head Reg Dawson at the conference.
He told operators that there was no shortage of courses available and the exam was not based on literary skill but purely on factual knowledge.
But he admitted that the new two-tier system of operator's licensing was introducing the distinction between the professional road haulier and the own account operator all over again. This was one of the questions being looked at by the Foster Committee inquiry into 0 Licensing.
And Mr Dawson gave the industry a pat on the back for the way in which it had taken to the introduction of the CPC.
"The industry has faced up well to the challenge of the Certificate and, I hope, found that things are not as bad as some of the more gloomy Jeremiahs were predicting," he said.
Mr Dawson explained to operators the complex negotiations that had been carried out to give Britain extra time to adjust to EEC regulations, including drivers' hours and tachographs.
And he made it clear that one of the major reasons for the delay in putting the regulations into effect was that implementation of the drivers' hours rules would have had a major impact on the Government's pay policy and economic strategy.
Britain will have had eight years to adjust to the hours rules by the time the first reduction in daily driving time comes along on December 1.
"Clearly we would have liked longer but by the time the regulations is in force for our national transport, we shall have had eight years as members of the commun together with a year-anc quarter between the Par mentary vote in October 1 and our accession, dur which time the industry known what was facing it. process can hardly be saic have been rushed," said Dawson.
At present, legislation 1 in a muddle. Extremely c( plicated regulations w actually designed to make situation simpler, he said.
It was hoped that a corn] hensive guide to the new islation would be available the autumn, accompanied! "child's guide" to the hc rules. But the final interpri tion of the regulations bound to be left to the cow On the 450km limit ( miles), Mr Dawson said t this was linked with the us the tachograph. "This me that the running-in per would last for 12 months — which time we hope the ta situation will be clarified.
"On drivers' hours, the I has been at one with both si of the road transport indu: in seeking to honour our 1( obligations in a way NATI would not prove disrup' ogyunduly expensive. Des the confusion which has t caused by late decision think we can claim to 11 achieved this," said Mr D son.
But he declined to add 'a to the picture on tachogra because this was now judice before the Europ court.
"Although the EEC reg tions is a directly applic law in all member states, it no teeth until those stE have passed the necess supplementary legislat providing penalties for n compliance. The United K dom has not passed such islation and therefore regulation is unenforceak said Mr Dawson.