II EDITOR'S COMMENT
Page 5
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At first glance, the Government's long-awaited plans to "relax" the Operator Licensing system are good news for the road haulage industry. A code of maintenance practice is an excellent idea and continuous licensing for reputable operators is likely to save time, money and unnecessary argument.
But does the road transport industry really want to see entry to the light commercial sector made so ludicrously easy? The Government is proposing to scrap the requirements to prove that you are of good repute, that you have proper financial standing and that you are professionally competent if you want to run hire and reward vehicles between 3.5 and six tonnes GVW.
There is no point launching into emotive debate about creating a "cowboy's charter" at this stage, but allowing light CV operators on to the road with so few restraints could further blacken the already tarnished name of the haulage industry with the general public, let alone the environmental lobby groups.
This Govememnt will not stay in power for ever, and the next General Election could easily leave us with a ruling coalition in which the "Greens" have an important say. They will not be amused if we have had to suffer by then several years of "here today, gone tomorrow" light truck operators charging around without the slightest hint of professionalism.
Neither would they be amused by the way in which local residents could face losing their right to object to operating centres on environmental grounds. It is true that to win planning permission operators would still have to satisfy a number of environmental conditions, but different people will want to raise different objections at different times as the nature of an operating centre changes.
It seems a pity that the Government has not yet taken on board some aspects of PTA director-general Garry Turvey's proposals to let the industry trade associations "vet" new hauliers. The system seems to work well in the Netherlands without appearing like a restrictive practice. CM believes that there must be some scope for industry self-regulation without treading on anyone's toes.
The 0-licence changes are part and parcel of the Government's long-term drive to reduce the burdens on industry, a scheme launched some time ago by Lord Young. But current road transport proposals seem a strange mish-mash of reduced burdens for the haulage industry, and reduced burdens for the Government's own local traffic area offices and Licensing Authorities. The extra burden will come with a much poorer public opinion of our industry and our work.
Write to Commercial Motor if you want to air your opinion about the proposed changes, described in detail on pages four and five this week. We will then hand on your letters to the new Secretary of Slate for Transport, Cecil Parkinson.