Malcolm backs plan to enforce phone ban
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By Chris Tindall SCOTLAND’S LARGEST road transport company The Malcolm Group has given its backing to a move by police in Scotland and trafic commissioner (TC) Joan Aitken to suspend drivers’ licences if they are caught using a mobile phone while driving.
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed by the Association of Chief Police Oficers and Aitken, which formalises the process by which she will be notiied of mobile phone offences.
The offences covered under the MoU also include using a mobile while supervising a learner-driver, and applies to hands-free devices where there is evidence that the driver did not have proper control of the vehicle.
Malcolm Group chief executive Andrew Malcolm said: “We have a rigorous policy in place regarding the use of mobile phones and we fully support this initiative to make roads safer.” Aitken said 223 professional drivers were called before the TC in 2011 for driving offences.
“Police oficers can issue a inancial penalty. My powers are different,” she said. “I can suspend a driver’s licence entitlement to drive a lorry. For some drivers this will mean they will lose their job and how they support their families. It is that serious. I want to get a message across to drivers’ families and friends, and also to employers, that the driver needs to concentrate on the job – not on the phone.”