Beware the first of March
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• Mr Fred Mulley, Minister of Transport, issued a statement on Thursday on operators' licensing, which begins for public hauliers on March 1.
"We are now about to embark on major changes which will set the framework for goods vehicle operation for a long time to come," said the Minister.
"Operators' licensing is designed to keep unsafe vehicles off the road by denying licences to people who cannot—or will not—run them safely, skimping on maintenance, overloading or encouraging drivers to work over-long hours at the wheel.
"We cannot expect miracles on March 1—indeed operators' licensing will not come in for firms running vehicles on their own-account until later in the year—but, as the new system comes fully into effect over a number of years,! am sure we can look to a significant raising of safety standards.
"Despite all the publicity surrounding the preparations for operators' licensing, there are still a sizeable number of public hauliers who have not yet sent in their applications for licences. To them I can only say that if your application is not received by the Licensing Authority before March 1, you will not be entitled to the benefit of the transitional provisions of the Transport Act, and the Licensing Authority is empowered to treat your application as coming from a new entrant to the industry. As such, your application will be subject to advertisement and the Licensing Authority may considei objections from any of the organizations prescribed in the Act."