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Eco-driving will not be made mandatory under Driver CPC

14th October 2010
Page 8
Page 8, 14th October 2010 — Eco-driving will not be made mandatory under Driver CPC
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

justin.stantonfarhi.co.uk TRANSPORT MINIS1 ER Mike Penning has decided that ecodriving training will not become a compulsory part of the Driver CPC.

In March. the previous government launched a consultation on raising the uptake of eco-driving. It proposed that such training should become mandatory under the Driver CPC in order to achieve the desired uptake.

While Skills for Logistics (SfL) was in favour, significantly, both the Road Haulage Association (RHA) and the Freight Transport Association (FTA) were opposed.

Penning says: "Road freight is responsible for 22% of UK greenhouse gas emissions and ecodriving has real potential to reduce these. However, at this challenging economic time, I believe it is vital that we don't add to the regulatory burden that industry has to deal with.

-Reducing emissions means reducing fuel use, and I am looking to the industry to take the lead in incorporating ecodriving and other fuelreduction measures."

The Department for Transport (DTI') will -work with the industry and will review the level of uptake of eco-driving training and fuel savings across the sector in 2012", a spokesman says, The RHA has argued against the proposal since it was first mooted by the DfT. Jack Semple, director of policy at the RHA, says: "The RHA has been successful in its campaign against plans to goldplate the Driver CPC by making in-cab eco-driving training a regulatory requirement. "We gave a clear lead against the proposal when it was put out to consultation. We made clear that we were in favour of improving further HGV driving standards — but that the proposed regulation was not the way to do it," FTA chief economist Simon Chapman adds: "It is clear from our audits of Logistics Carbon Reduction Scheme members that driver training is a well-established part of efforts to reduce fuel usage. How ever, each business has a different approach. Trying to regulate the duration, course content and delivery mechanism for training through Driver CPC makes no sense. Business is the best judge of what training its drivers need, not government."

However, SfL chief executive Mick Jackson is disappointed. He says:"Whi le I fully understand and support the reasons for the decision. I can't help thinking that it is an opportunity lost.

-We know eco-driving works to lower both emissions and costs — a rare, genuine win-win. I fear only the enlightened will now follow it up:'

• See next week's CM for the transport minister's view on CO2 reduction in road transport.


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