TAKE HEED, SIR GEORGE
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They say that French is the language of diplomacy. Having read previous annual reports from the Licensing Authorities you'd have thought they were written in the language of La Belle France, not least because of the diplomatic language employed by the LAs when it came to questioning the efficiency and effectiveness of trafficenforcement. The style owed more to Civil Service "mandarinese" than the League for Plain Speaking. Unlike our good friend Joe Soap Haulier, they've not been a shining beacon of "blunt by name, blunt by nature". But just when you thought the LAs had been holding back for too long they deliver some ringing home truths. We recommend that Transport Secretary Sir George Young should pay close attention to this year's report.The LAs are bothered by the way the Vehicle Inspectorate is conducting its affairs, not least when it comes to budgeting. As Scottish IA Michael Betts states unequivocally: "We appear to be seeing now the results of cut backs in the Vehicle Inspectorate." Those results appear to range from a lack of inspectors to check up on dodgy hauliers to the questionable use of those that remain. Commercial Motor recently questioned the VI's idiosyncratic approach to enforcement weighing. Recent mass weighings look good on paper but they bear questionable fruit in terms of prevention. Senior LA Ronnie Ashford admits in his report to being puzzled by recent enforcement data which shows a 10% increase in weighing but with only a marginal increase in prohibition rates. According to Ashford this confirms his contention that "too many vehicles are weighed to no good purpose". The senior LA also highlights the drop in the number of tachographs being screened with a resulting reduction in drivers hours prosecutions—down by almost 30%. No wonder he's questioning the VI's priorities. Commercial Motor has long shared the LAs' view that the risk of examination out on the road is a critical deterrent to illegal operation. This is definitely not the time to be cutting down on traffic examiners. Let's hope that Sir George reads this report from cover to cover rather than settling for a carefully edited synopsis from his DOT minions. The LAs have had the courage to speak out— it's time the man at the top listened to what they have to say.