Wales is in line for a TA but not a TC
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by Karen Miles • Welsh hauliers should get their own traffic area (TA) in the latest shake-up of the 0licence administration system -hut they won't have a resident Traffic Commissioner, says the Department of Transport. DOT officials are recommending the creation of a Welsh traffic area to solve administrative difficulties following the closure of two Traffic Area Offices last year. Increased workload is putting a heavy strain on TAO staff: a senior insider describes the situation as a "cock-up".
If the Welsh TA is set up it will mean the operator licensing files on hauliers in North Wales—which have been tram
ferred in the past few weeks from Manchester to Leeds-would he moved again, this time to Birmingham.
Hauliers from South Wales are already covered by the Birmingham office; a West Midlands-based Deputy Traffic Commissioner would be appointed with responsibility for a new Welsh traffic area.
The closure of the Manchester and Cardiff TAOs was designed to save money. However, the Civil and Public Services Association believes the move has already cost the Government hundreds of thousands of pounds.
The DOT refuses to comment on the alleged losses either of money or local expertise.