:lecision time on 0-licensing
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DRK began this week to sort t just what changes, if any, ? road transport industry Int to see in the 0-licensing item.
'ollowing the first meeting the review committee, set by Transport Minister lliam Rodgers, questionre-type forms have been it out to all the major intered bodies in the industry. 'he forms, devised by the nmittee to find out how 0,nsing should be changed, lude 28 questions for the lustry to answer if it so hes.
tut already there have been icisms over the amount of e being allowed before the ms and written replies uld be returned.
spokesman for the Road ilage Association told CM was "appalled at the time .wed to answer questions". knd although it is underpd that the target date of uary 31 is inly intended as nething to aim for, the .ight Transport Associa1, Transport 2000 and othall agree more time should illowed.
he move to get the ball ing on reviewing the sys tern is welcomed by the whole industry, a welcome summed up in the words of Transport 2000, a railway pressure group. Director Mick Hamer told CM: "It hasn't come a moment too soon. We've been waiting for this for years."
0-licensing was introduced in 1969. The forms sent out by the review committee are roughly divided into four sections: safety, efficiency, enforcement and environment.
The RHA told CM: "Most of the questions make sense to us, but we are puzzled by the questions on the environment." One question, "Is the protection of the environment a legitimate aim of licensing?", seems to confuse the association.
Until the committee has received the bulk of the replies from industry, it will continue to study 0-licensing and take a look at evidence provided by the Department of Transport.