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Once again in English
Page 9
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Written answers to Parliamentary questions have always required an ability to read between the lines. Transport Minister John Spellar's response to the question from Gwyneth Dunwoody, chairman of the House of Commons Transport Select Committee, on the likely date for the introduction of digital tachographs and what steps have been taken to prevent data being manipulated is no exception.
He says digital tachos on new vehicles "will become compulsory two years after the EC publication of the technical specification for digital tachographs". And when will that be? Back to the minister: "I understand that publication should take place in May this year. On this basis digital tachographs will need to be fitted to new vehicles from May 2004."
Allow us to read between the lines: "I understand" = it's anybody's guess whether the EC actually will pass a spec in May. "On this basis" = if they don't, then digital tachos won't be introduced in May 2004.
In the meantime any operator wondering how to record drivers' hours in the future still doesn't know for sure when his new trucks will arrive with digital tachographs fitted in them. However, we do know who's going to issue a driver with a smart card—the DVLA—and that the DVLA will inform the Vehicle Inspectorate if a driver suffers from a "multiple loss of cards" (sic).
The minister says once the spec is published he'll be "consulting with the industry". We can't wait...