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Getting a grip

14th December 2006
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

Ireland's new Road Safety Authority brings several services together and its dynamic approach is proving a big hit with hauliers. Grainne Rothery reports.

Launched at the beginning of September. Ireland's Road Safety Authority (RSA) is now responsible for all aspects of safety on Irish roads. It has taken over functions that were previously shared by the Department of Transport, the National Safety Council and the National Roads Authority.

The RSA's roles include: • Road safety promotion and research • Driver testing and licensing • Vehicle standards • Registration of driving instructors • Issuing digital tachographs • Road haulage enforcement • Driver vocational training.

"The main priority has been to establish the new organisation, get the staff in place and deliver on our key services," says Noel Brett. the RSA's chief executive officer.

Action has included public awareness campaigns on drink-driving, seat-belts on school buses, driver fatigue and additional penalty points offences. The RSA has also completed a consultation process on regulating the driver training sector. It is working on the next road safety strategy and is reviewing the CV roadworthiness testing arrangements (a consultation process is under way).

-We've also taken responsibility for driver testing and we're working to try to reduce the backlog." says Brett.adding that other projects have included a review of vehicle standards and the introduction of new European regulations.

The Irish Road Haulage Association has welcomed the new organisation and, in particular. Brett's own contribution.

"We meet him every two months, and so far he's on target with everything he said he would deliver,says Sean Murtagh, honorary secretary of the I RHA.

"From our point of view it's about a one million per cent improvement from where we were with the Department of Transport. Noel Brett has done more in the past four months than the Department has in the past 10 years."

Enthusiastic about IRHA

The IRHA has been particularly impressed with the way Brett has approached the longstanding problem of the red tape surrounding the movement of abnormal loads: he is on course to resolve it within months.

And Brett is equally enthusiastic about the 1RH A: "We've had fantastic help and co-operation from them and I really 1 to acknowledge their assistance, advice expertise. We've worked through a lot of d I'm satisfied with the co-operation I've 1 receiving and I hope the hauliers are pos about the progress we've made."

RSA priorities for the road transport sc include the implementation of the Euroj Directive on driver vocational training, kn as the Compulsory Training Directive, whi due to come into force in 2009.

"We're about ready to publish a consulta paper on that," he says.

Roadside checks

The RSA is responsible for digital tachogr enforcement and has also started random n side checking of vehicles' mechanical condit It has not yet exercised its new powe: impound unroadworthy vehicles but the ga have issued several enforcement notices.

"And we have a lot of prosecutions in pipeline in relation to infringements of driv hours," Brett adds.

The authority has been liaising with the 1 Department for Transport and the Vehicle ; Operator Services Agency (Vosa) on iss relating to Irish vehicles.

"We're sharing intelligence and informat with them," Brett reports. "For example, ; time an Irish vehicle is stopped and foi defective in the UK we receive notices ft., Vosa and follow them up here."

Hauliers and their consignors will be large next year. "Rather than just hitting the drivi we want to deal with the people who sending the goods to make sure that they using licensed hauliers and that they ha appropriate standards in place for selecti h auliers," he says.

However, Brett emphasises that la abiding hauliers have nothing to fear frt the RSA: "The RSA is the biggest shot in t arm for compliant hauliers who have prof maintenance schedules, who train their drivt and make sure they operate to the drive hours regulations. We will target unlicerm hauliers—those with shoddy work practices al poor fleet maintenance."

Brett says the RSA will continue to I accessible and accountable to the ro; transport sector and other road users: -Th was the whole rationale for setting up the Ro; Safety Authority—to inject more accountabili and transparency into the process.

"When things go wrong now, when thin happen, there are people here who have stand up and be counted."

RSA priorities for road haulage

• Implement the Compulsory Training Directive • Driver licensing • Raise awareness of driver fatigue and back this up with enforcement • Check and follow up on vehicle mechanical standards • Enforce tachograph regulations • Clamp down on illegal haulage • Target consignor compliance Contact:00353 (0) 96 78265 or Lo-Call 1890506080; www.rsa.ie: e-mail info@rsa.ie


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