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TC curbs 'wilt affect all 0-licence holders'
Page 6
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CM COVER STORY
By Chris Tindall.
THE FREIGHT TRANSPORT Association is warning that the government's attempt to rein in the external activities carried out by the Traffic Commissioners (TCs) will be to the detriment of all 0-licence holders.
A final guidance document from the Secretary of State to the Senior Traffic Commissioner (STC) has been published, which outlines what guidance and directions it can issue to the STC.
However, the FTA claims the contents suggest the government has wrongly presumed that TCs operate like other regulators and can make most of their decisions from behind a desk.
It raised these concerns in a consultation earlier this year, when it said the STC's powers of deployment would be too restrictive on the use of Deputy TCs, and, ultimately, would have an impact on service levels.
James Hookham, FTA's managing director of policy, says: "The Department for Transport (DfT) seems obsessed with curtailing a external activities of TCs, the way they engage and interact with the industry at open evenings, conference platforms, events and so on.
"Far from curtailing the interaction of TCs in the industry they regulate, some of the DtT civil servants should get out more and do what ITCs] do and understand the industry they regulate."
Hookham adds: "The trouble is, the Department has done it indirectly; claiming there's not enough money to go out of the office, so they can't go out."
In a consultation response document, the DfT says: "The criteria for deciding upon the appropriate loading of work for TCs would he for the STC to decide. The department would not expect any STC policy in this area, or on the use of DTCs, to impact negatively on service levels to industry."
Hookham does concede that, ultimately, the STC Philip Brown can decide how to interpret the Secretary of State's instructions: "It's not all bad," he adds. "It all depends on how Philip Brown [STC] will use his powers. It looks all right on paper, it depends how it pans out in practical terms."
A DfT spokeswoman says: "Our guidance to the STC recommends that he should determine a policy on the use of DTCs. That policy should strike the balance between the efficient use of resources, while maintaining the service levels expected by the industry."
The Senior TC Brown did not respond to CM's questions.