Permit take-up is slow • Only 26% of UK international
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operators have applied or plan to apply for cabotage permits, judging by an exclusive survey for Commercial Motor.
The survey of 212 of the larger UK international hauliers reveals that only 19% applied for permits in time for last Sunday's cabotage starting date; another 7% say they intend to apply.
Most British TIR operators expect cabotage work to help them overcome problems of empty running on outgoing trips, but they also expect it to intensify competiton for international work.
France and Germany are the two countries which provide most potential for cabotage say UK operators. More than 28% of them plan to work in France, and 24% want work in Germany. Surprisingly, only 12% of operators plan to compete for cabotage work in Belgium, 11% in Italy and 11% in the Netherlands.
Almost 60% of the hauliers questioned are critical of the Department of Transport's handling of cabotage permits. When CM talked to them, just a week before last Sunday's cabotage launch date, only 10% had received their full quota — 59% did not know how many permits they would be getting, or when they would get them. One haulier received a letter of acknowledgement from the DTp after he made an application, but was not asked for any evidence. "Four months later we received a second letter saying that since we were unable to provide sufficient evi dence, as had been re quested, we would not be given an application," says
15 the operator. Another operator claims: "Seven months lapsed before I got a reply."
Dutch and French hauliers are expected to provide the strongest cabotage threat in this country.
0 For cabotage permit information call the International Road Freight Office on 091-261 0031.