Too many regs
Page 22
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The proliferation of excessively detailed regulations which attend the road transport industry require rolling back.
Whenever the regulations have to be considered by magistrates, who seem to have little or no knowledge of what is a very technical industry, they, more and more, arrive at totally incomprehensible decisions.
The decision against Goodways, as reported in Industry News (CM 8-14 September), is a good example. If the magistrates had any knowledge of the industry it would be beyond belief for them to have construed that Goodways' drivers were carrying out their normal duties.
If that decision is allowed to go unchallenged, all company organised sports and social activities will have to be curtailed immediately. This would be on the basis of the above decision, all employees who participate will be considered to be on duty. As the law seems to preclude commonsense being applied, the law requires to be changed. A case of Back to Basics.
Earlier this year the Senior Licensing Authority Ronald Ashford proposed a way out. It would appear that the time is right for all the organisations which represent the industry to fall in behind him in an attempt to achieve a more acceptable regulatory balance.
The current system of regulation by the magistrates is unsatisfactory and it is alienating reasonably minded people.
D Barber Sheffield.