CUT COSTS NOT SAFETY
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What is it about transport that no sooner does one Secretary of State settle in and start to learn about our industry than it's all change in the signal box? After last week's Cabinet reshuffle Brian Mawhinney becomes the 10th Transport Secretary in 15 years (see page 6). No doubt the most pressing problem Mawhinney will wish to see settled is the rail dispute, but Commercial Motor would like to remind him of a few other problems that, if ignored, will be disastrous for our industry. First is the intention to make efficiency gains of 20% throughout the Department of Transport. This would be fine if it were achieved by finding more effective ways of maintaining output. But the Vehicle Inspectorate has also been told to find gains of 8%, which we now know includes laying off vehicle and traffic examiners. The DOT has also failed to promise that one of the Licensing Authorities who is retiring this year will be replaced. Vehicle examiners and LAs both play a vital role in catching the cowboys of our industry and making sure those that stray are brought into line with the majority of law abiding operators. Isn't if common sense to invest in these roles, or at least maintain current enforcement levels, rather than giving the cowboys more freedom?
And why, following the reshuffle, has Roads Minister Robert Key not been replaced? Cynics might say this is no coincidence, coming at the same time as a restructuring of the Highways Agency, which is only four months old. Chief executive Lawrie Haynes said the task of the agency is to manage, improve and maintain the road network. But will Haynes be able to do this in the absence of a responsible minister to keep a watchful eye on roads policy?