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Directive disaster

4th January 2001
Page 5
Page 5, 4th January 2001 — Directive disaster
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

A massive contribution to road safety and a step towards a more solid road transport sector—or a set of shackles that will decimate Britain's road transport industry? Whatever your view of the working time regs, the decision has now been taken that they will apply to road transport, albeit with a temporary exemption for owner-drivers.

The effects will be huge. Many drivers' hours will have to be reduced, leaving firms with the thorny issue of what happens to their pay. Forcing it down would be hugely unpopular and could only lead to loss of staff; but keeping it at current levels for fewer hours would drive many hauliers out of business. Another problem facing operators is recruiting the extra drivers they will surely need to keep sweating their assets as is necessary, particularly given the ever-deepening driver recruitment crisis.

But worst of all, perhaps, is the fact that the legislation will not initially be evenly applied. The three-year exemption for owner-drivers could lead to drastic restructuring of the industry as operators make use of this loophole, leaving employed drivers facing a bleak future.

No doubt some of these drivers will strike out as owner-drivers: the only alternative might be looking for work outside the industry. And while owner-drivers will initially enjoy increased demand for their services, this will surely be more than offset by intense competition within the sector, with all that this implies for rates.

That the transport sector should be included in the working time legislation is fair enough—only time will tell just how damaging to the sector and to road safety this dichotomy will prove to be.

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