AT THE HEART OF THE ROAD TRANSPORT INDUSTRY.

Call our Sales Team on 0208 912 2120

Seat of power in the province

19th October 2006
Page 40
Page 40, 19th October 2006 — Seat of power in the province
Close
Noticed an error?
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.

Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

Next month Stormont may sit again for the first time in four years. Meanwhile, who is running transport in Northern Ireland? Adam Hill

concludes our look at regional government. the Groundhog Day feel of this month's all-party talks at St Andrews on power sharing in Northern Ireland, it is

tempting to conclude that everything is in administrative chaos in the province. Whatever their shortcomings and weaknesses, the Welsh and Scottish assemblies have the distinct advantage of actually sitting— unlike the Northern Ireland Assembly, based in Stormont, which has been suspended since 2002. Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Hain has warned that he will close down the Assembly on 25 November should a deal not be reached.

But while Sinn Fein and the Democratic Unionist Party wrangle over how to work together, the legal framework by which road transport is administered and organised in Northern Ireland carries on much as before. So who runs transport in Northern Ireland?

Responsibility lies in the main with two local departments: the Department for Regional Development (DRD) and the Department of Environment (DoE) —not to be confused with the Department for Environment. Food and Rural Affairs (DFFRA). However David Cairns, a Westminster MP and current Parliamentary Undersecretary of State for Northern Ireland, oversees both the DRD and DoE.

The DRD is charged with transport planning: its remit includes the provision and maintenance of roads through its executive ageney.the Roads Service. However, an ongoing review of public administration may transfer these powers to new local authorities in the next couple of years. Meanwh ile, t he DoE is charged with promoting a better and safer environment. Its Road Safety and Vehicle Standards Division has re sponsibility for promoting road safety education and improvements in road users' attitudes and behaviour in the hope of reducing road casualties. It is tasked with developing policy and legislation to ensure the proper regulation of drivers, vehicles and transport operators,

The DoE has two other agencies: the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority for Northern Ireland (DVLNI) and the Driver and Vehicle Testing Agency (DVTA ).The DVLNI is responsible for the collection and enforcement of Vehicle Excise Duty and it certainly means business. recently warning operators who persistently break the law that they are risking their 0-licences —61 of the worst offenders have been sent 'final warning' letters (CMS October).

Training drivers

The DVTA's remit includes the training of drivers. As in the rest of the UK, health and safety issues are handled by the Health and Safety Executive. All legislation currently goes through Westminster, although Stormont did have consider

able influence over road transport when it sat. Most regulations were devolved to the local assembly and carried out by the DRD which means that, should the loyalist and nationalist politicians resolve their differences, Direct Rule Minister David Cairns would not be in charge any more. Although it is always dangerous to try to describe Northern Ireland's political structures in simple terms, the Northern Ireland Office is in overall charge during the suspension — which means the ultimate authority remains with Peter HaM.

At a local level, hauliers may soon need to look to other bodies in future as big changes are planned in local government management.This would, of course, have a considerable impact on lobbying efforts.At present,in theory,the DRD could introduce congestion charging, or a lorry ban in Belfast, for example. But in two years' time, under a restructured Northern Ireland local government, it would he a new Belfast Council that would make the decision.

So much for the nuts and bolts of road transport. It will come as no surprise to learn that, as with Wales and Scotland (the UK's other devolved assemblies), legislation on key financial issues pertaining to operators, such as the level of fuel duty, lies with Chancellor Gordon Brown and is a matter for the Treasury and HM Revenue and Customs.

It should not be forgotten that Northern Ireland is unique in the British Isles in being bordered by a foreign state. However,there are accords with the Republic of Ireland on transport issues and agreements on the mutual recognition of driver penalty points. The caveats for transport in Northern Ireland remain huge, although for issues to be up in he air is becoming the norm rather than an exception. For reasons above and beyond the narrow limits of road transport policy. Northern Ireland hauliers will be hoping that powers can revert to a devolved Northern Ireland Assembly sooner rather than later. •

IN A NUTSHELL : THE DEPARTMENT FOR REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT

(DRD) and Department of Environment (DoE) run road transport in Northern Ireland. The DRD's remit includes transport planning and road maintenance. The DoE is tasked with developing policy and legislation to ensure transport operators are regulated. It also has responsibility for

promoting road safety education, improvements in road users' attitudes and behaviour though its Road Safety and Vehicle Standards Division. www.drdni.gov.uk www.doeni.gov.uk www.hseni.gov.uk.


comments powered by Disqus