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CouldpbeaTC?
Page 9
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• Any haulier with experience of Public Inquiries-although preferably not of appearing before them—might like to apply to become the next Scottish Traffic Commissioner on a salary of £70,000 a year.
The search is on to find a replacement for Scottish and Senior TC Michael Betts, who will be retiring next May. The first advertisements for the job have already appeared; most notably in CAR's sister magazine Motor Transport.
The position really is open to hauliers—Geoffrey Simms, the current Eastern TC, is the last former operator to have been
appointed, although more recently most TCs have come from the legal profession.
Whoever takes over as Senior TO will have to oversee the HGV and PSV operator licensing scheme as well as a number of issues that were devolved from Westminster, such as Scottish parking appeals.
It's unclear whether the current Deputy Scottish TC, Richard McFarlane. will throw his hat into the ring; if he did he would stand a very good chance of taking over.
He is a trained solicitor and is considered a safe pair of hands. However, he may prefer to retain his interest in his private legal practice.
Perhaps more interesting is the race to succeed Betts as Senior TC. South Eastern TO Christopher Heaps has been in the post longest but that is no guarantee that he will become Senior TC.
Beverly Bell has made a big impact in the NorthWest since she was appointed as the first woman TC—these two are seer as the most likely contenders forthe role.
Anyone interested in applying should go to www.SPAuk.com for details.