DfT says Vosa concerns have been addressed
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By Chris Druce
VOSA HAS addressed the communication problems and concerns over traffic commissioners' (TC) independence in relation to the agency that were flagged up by an influential group of 1VIT's earlier this year, according to the Department for Transport (DfT). Responding to The Transport Select Committee's Work of the Vehicle Operating Standards Agency report (CM 25 July), the DfT said: "Changes have been made in the course of 2013, which should tackle some of the perceptions about the institutional responsibilities. These have
already included separately branded email addresses for Office of the TC staff. There are mechanisms in place to enable the senior TC, senior Vosa management and the DfT communicate effectively."
It also denied that Vosa is unduly reliant on its OCRS, something senior TC Beverley Bell said in May meant it was potentially "not targeting the serially and seriously noncompliant", and that the committee concluded meant some larger operators might not be being monitored effectively. The DfT said: "Vosa does not use the calculation process to take into account the size of a
business." However, from next year, Vosa will be trialling the use of telematics data and automated tachograph analysis as another tool at the roadside.
According to the DfT,Vosa will have the additional resources it requires to police the HGV Road User Levy when it goes live in April, although it conceded the £20m-plus the levy is expected to generate each year will not be ring-fenced, with the government free to reallocate revenue from the tax as it sees fit.
Vosa will also publish the terms of reference of the Compliance Forum soon, after the Select Committee questioned if it was being used effectively.