AAX Regs changes sought
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k NOTTINGHAMSHIRE coach operator wants Transport lVfmister Norman Fowler to modify some of his proposals for tachograph regulations.
Peter Rogers of Rainworth Travel has written to Mr Fowler, detailing problems which he expects to occur when vehicles develop faults and need to be recalibrated. He is also concerned about the details of record keeping.
He says that time limits for repair of defective tachographs will clash with operators' commitments to provide a reliable service, and wants some latitude built into the regulations.
While an operator may run a bus in service until it reaches its base, Article 18(1) of Mr Fowler's draft regulations demand that the vehicle be repaired before going back into service.
"If this happened to a psv operator late one night, he would be operating unlawfully if the vehicle was used to fulfil, say, home-to-school contracts the following morning before proceeding to get the tachograph officially repaired," according to Mr Rogers.
He feels that the same difficulty could arise over a bankholiday weekend, and suggests a five-day period for repairs.
Mr Rogers wants the Minister to reconsider the proposals for extended tours operation. Instead of Mr Fowler's plans for repairs to be effected within one week, he is suggesting that they be done within two days of return to the operator's premises.
He would also like the strict resealing procedures to be eased where the seal is broken to repair such defects as a damaged clutch plate.
"Already the operator is charged to keep a record of occasions when this breaking of seals becomes necessary. Could this not be extended to cover re-sealing by , a nominated authorised person within the undertaking, subject to certification that the work undertaken would not have affected the calibration?"
Mr Rogers has also pointed out that the need to return used discs to a driver's "first" employer poses great problems in the coach industry which employs many parttime drivers.
"It might be difficult to ascertain who is in fact the 'first' employer, and indeed the person who employed a driver first may well not be his major employer."
TRANSPORT Minister Norman Fowler will soon be giving his views about the problems of country buses.
He promised in the Commons last week that he would be replying shortly to the report from the Select Committee on Nationalised Industries.